Preparation of the Herring Bark

Sieuwert van der Meulen

Cleveland Museum of Art

The image depicts a sepia-toned drawing of a large ship with a tall mast and people on board. The ship appears to be a barge or herring buss, a type of Dutch sailing vessel. There are several smaller boats around the ship, one in the foreground with people in 17th-century clothing. The background shows a light-colored sky with some darker lines suggesting clouds or smoke. The drawing style is sketchy and appears to be done in a reddish-brown color, possibly sepia or sanguine. The overall scene suggests a busy harbor or dock area, with people engaged in various activities related to the ship and boats. The title of the piece is "Preparation of the Herring Bark" and it is attributed to the artist Sieuwert van der Meulen.