Marine paintings traditionally featured naval battles and ocean-going merchant fleets. But in the 1620s, Porcellis bucked the trend, inventing a new kind of little seascape, focused on the more modest vessels that plied the North Sea. These smaller boats, and the crews that manned them, were also key to Dutch prosperity. Using a limited color scheme, Porcellis contrasted threatening clouds and frothy waves with clear blue skies. The rainbow, which extends directly to a humble fishing boat, suggests that fair weather is just ahead.

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