Launching a Ship

Ludolf Backhuysen

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a black and white drawing of a beach scene. A boat with a large sail and a smaller jib sail on the left side is being pulled by horses on the right side. The boat's sails are partially furled, with one sail down and another partially down. People in 17th-century clothing are standing on the beach, some near the boat and others farther back. A man on horseback is on the left side. The sky has some clouds. The drawing is bordered by a thin black line and mounted on a thicker, off-white background. The title of the work is "Launching a Ship" by Ludolf Backhuysen.