OI WILLIAM BRAND: Packages on the dock

[Capt. Sterling]

1673

William any chance you can blow up the cargo on the docks, especially what appears to be the dome topped trunks? And anything else of interest... Thanks

[Capt. Sterling]

oh.. titled The Martha at Dock. dock scene at a British port 1673

[William Brand]

There are some obvious objects, like jugs, ship's rigging, etc. Typical of a maritime painting. The white object in the foreground is most likely a 'bale' of textiles or soft goods. The rest appear to be passenger trunks and shipping trunks more than any true sea chests. I like the barrels. They have a very interesting cross timber on the ends that you don't see that often in paintings of this kind.

[PoD]

you might get a bit clearer view of stuff here:

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/displayRepro.cfm?reproID=BHC0845&picture=1#content

just click the zoom button

[PoD]

the markings on the crates and bales look like they could be the dutch west india company logos

[PoD]

zoom in on the guard by the portcullis gate. Now is it just me or is he wearing a pointy witches hat???

[Silkie McDonough]

Looks that way. The woman just down from him clearly has one on.

[Capt. Sterling]

you might get a bit clearer view of stuff here:

http://www.nmm.ac.uk/collections/displayRepro.cfm?reproID=BHC0845&picture=1#content

just click the zoom button

As always... thank ye PoD

OMG there's freakin Cran standing on the dock talking...

[Jas. Hook]

zoom in on the guard by the portcullis gate. Now is it just me or is he wearing a pointy witches hat???

Wow super zooming view on the painting.

A lot of obscure items and details come into view.

I'm not sure of the guards hat... it might be flat topped but the angle and shadow of the gun barrel makes it appear pointed?????

Jas. Hook

[Capt. Sterling]

I agree with Jas. I think it is also the barrel of the gun... now the one woman in the foreground is certainly wearing a pointed hat...

[Capt. Sterling]

Does the plank hanging over the edge of the wharf have writing on the one end? If so, can anyone read it?

[PoD]

certainly looks like writing but i cant make it out. Looks like "I fein for slops" to me but you cant really make them out.

I just noticed the 2 cannons sticking out of the stern of the ornate ship at the back of the dock. I never realised ships had cannons there.

I'm also intrigued by the case/chest the guy in the far corner of the dock is carrying. It obviously had a handle on the top from how he is carrying it.

I must have a go at making one of them sledge type things the horse is pulling. I have seen similar ones in pictures of dutch docks of the time but with men pulling them. Although why they didnt have wheels on I am not sure. Maybe they were used across the sand too where wheels would sink.

[Silkie McDonough]

I do not see a signature on the painting. Perhaps the writing on the plank is the artists signature? I can't make out what it says.

Dock Scene at a British Port 1673 Painting by Jacob Knyff With Explanation and Sources

[Silkie McDonough]

View the full catalogue record for BHC0845

Final Paragraph does state that it is signed and dated ...

This signed work came to light in 1972 and provided the first definitive identification of Knyff's artistic hand. It is a sophisticated painting with accurate ships depicted. It is also is a relatively late example of a tradition in Netherlandish art of such waterfront compositions which, real or imaginary, provided an obvious focus for scenes of varied incident. Signed and dated 1673. Acquisition method: vote.

[Tartan Jack]

Does the plank hanging over the edge of the wharf have writing on the one end? If so, can anyone read it?

It is certainly marked, but not sure what it is supposed to say. It looks like "S A P J43" to just take a guess. Is it possibly the artist's mark?

Also, the white bale has 3 marks on it:

On the left is what looks like 2 lambdas like an M and a cross on top (The tan bail has the same and a 13 to its right)

On the right side, the top one looks like a I and H merged and the bottom is N 31

The black round-topped box nect to it has a white rectangle on the lid side. Paper ID label?

What is the cylinder on its top (who wants to venture a guess)?

[Captain Jim]

I just noticed the 2 cannons sticking out of the stern of the ornate ship at the back of the dock. I never realised ships had cannons there.

Actually the odd thing is that it seems that everyone in the harbor has their canons run out. The usual state of canons is lashed inboard (to avoid the proverbial "loose canon"). Gun ports were often opened for ventilation, but running out the canon was an offensive/defensive move and yet here we have a whole harbor full of run-out canon. Odd.

[Jas. Hook]

...I must have a go at making one of them sledge type things the horse is pulling. I have seen similar ones in pictures of dutch docks of the time but with men pulling them. Although why they didnt have wheels on I am not sure. Maybe they were used across the sand too where wheels would sink.

PoD -

Google Stone Boat

One curiosity I see is the white cuffed man leaning against the tan bale, in front of him is a hemisphere shape, a basket or a (unlikely) glass bowl ???

There are many interesting shapes and parcels that make us wonder as to their use. I suppose if we were on the dock at that time most of these items would be commonplace.

Jas. Hook

[PoD]

I just noticed the 2 cannons sticking out of the stern of the ornate ship at the back of the dock. I never realised ships had cannons there.

Actually the odd thing is that it seems that everyone in the harbor has their canons run out. The usual state of canons is lashed inboard (to avoid the proverbial "loose canon"). Gun ports were often opened for ventilation, but running out the canon was an offensive/defensive move and yet here we have a whole harbor full of run-out canon. Odd.

I think it said somewhere on one of the information pages that a Royal Yacht is coming into the dock so they are firing a salute. One possible explanation.

[Dutchman]

take a look at the ship rafted along side the one at the dock. a shelter has been made over the aft area from an old sail.

[Capt. Bo of the WTF co.]

You guys are killin me here!!!! DIAL-UP SUX!!!

Bo

[Capt. Sterling]

One curiosity I see is the white cuffed man leaning against the tan bale, in front of him is a hemisphere shape, a basket or a (unlikely) glass bowl ???

Jas. Hook

I was wondering if that was a punch bowl.... from what little I have read on the subject and the original bowls I have looked at, the shape certainly passes. They seem to have popped up every where to provide drink, folks drank out of them communally, picking up the bowl and taking a swig directly from it, hence no glasses/cups laying around with the bowl, but would they have it around for perhaps the dock workers ?? or was a punch bowl set out for something a bit more "formal"?

[jendobyns]

One curiosity I see is the white cuffed man leaning against the tan bale, in front of him is a hemisphere shape, a basket or a (unlikely) glass bowl ???

Jas. Hook

I was wondering if that was a punch bowl.... from what little I have read on the subject and the original bowls I have looked at, the shape certainly passes. They seem to have popped up every where to provide drink, folks drank out of them communally, picking up the bowl and taking a swig directly from it, hence no glasses/cups laying around with the bowl, but would they have it around for perhaps the dock workers ?? or was a punch bowl set out for something a bit more "formal"?

Certainly looks like a punch bowl, but not glass, probably light paste/glaze ceramic of some sort. I'm pretty sure they weren't glass at that time, at least the examples i've seen aren't. Odd that it's on it's own, perhaps someone ordered a bowl of punch and it was delivered from a local establishment (which wasn't unheard of), finished bowl of punch now ready to be returned to tavern? Or perhaps waiting for those guys on the boat to get to it? It doesn't make sense to be something shipped, not packed right, not packed in anything at all. Although it could be a sample of wares yet to be unloaded.

And does anyone besides myself think that perhaps all those odd cylinders could be rolled up carpets?