33 JAN VAN DE CAPPELLE By the mid-seventeenth century the Dutch republic had reached its height of power as Dutch, 1625/26-1679 a global trading empire, and its domination of the seas found expression in the nascent Shipping in a Calm at Flushing specialization of marine painting. In 1649, Jan van de Cappelle and Simon de Vlieger with a States General Yacht changed the course of Dutch seascapes with their innovation of the "parade" picture, Firing a Salute, 1649 in which grand ships convene for special occasions under towering, cloud-filled skies. Oil on panel In Shipping in a Calm a stately yacht fires a salute to announce the arrival of a 69.7 x 92.2 cm (27 x 36¼ in.) 96.PB.7 dignitary, who is conveyed to shore in the launch at right. Apparently unaffected by the sound, several porpoises glide peacefully through the calm waters. They were known to frequent Flushing (Vlissingen), the busy port used by the Dutch East India Company that was frequently portrayed in Van de Cappelle's paintings. As one of his earliest known signed and dated works, this painting displays Van de Cappelle's highly developed style and remarkable technical virtuosity. The painter demonstrates an accomplished graphic handling of form in the detailed ships, rigging, and sails and his mastery of atmospheric and optical effects in the treatment of reflections in the water. This dramatic avenue of ships framing an infinite vista of the sea and their close and dominating viewpoint are pioneering contributions to the genre of marine painting. AFK DUTCH AND FLEMISH SCHOOLS 63