“Spaansche kanonneerboot ten anker” [Spanish gunboat (cañonero) anchoring] Watercolour with pen and washed ink by Joseph Sipkes. Signed and dated in the lower left “J. Sipkes, 1832”. Size. approx. 13 x 18,4 cm.
In the age of sail, gunboats were usually small undecked vessels carrying just a couple smoothbore cannons. The gunboat drawn here carried two such cannons on the bow and had two additional swivel guns on the back railings. Gunboats could carry one or two masts or be oar-powered only, but the single-masted version of about 15 m length was most typical.
All navies of the sailing era kept a number of gunboats on hand.
Little is known about the marine painter Joseph Sipkes (1787-1852) except that he worked in Amsterdam at the beginning of the 19th century. In addition to a number oil paintings, he made beautiful ship portraits in watercolour.
Price: Euro 575,-
