Dutch artist Willem van de Velde I (1611-1693) developed the subgenre of āpen-paintingsā in the 17th-century. These astonishingly detailed works, executed with fine brushes and quill pens, are rare, particularly in American collections. Davis curators were delighted to discover a superlative example tucked away in storage, and have pursued conservation treatment to restore its condition.
This symposium features presentations by Associate Curator, Claire Whitner, on the paintingās history; Rhona MacBeth, the Eijk and Rose-Marie van Otterloo Conservator and Head of Paintings Conservation at the MFA Boston, who conducted the technical study and treatment; and Daniel Finamore, Russell W. Knight Curator of Maritime Art and History at the Peabody Essex Museum.