Schepen voor anker met op de voorgrond een roeiboot 1870 - 1931

Willem Bastiaan Tholen made this pencil drawing of boats at anchor, likely in the Netherlands, in the late 19th or early 20th century. The scene depicts a calm day at sea, with several ships resting peacefully on the water and two figures rowing in the foreground. Tholen was part of the Hague School, a group of Dutch artists who emphasized realism and the depiction of everyday life. The Hague School artists often focused on landscapes, seascapes, and scenes of rural life, reflecting the social and economic realities of the time. The Netherlands had a long and rich maritime history. Images of boats and ships were powerful symbols of the nation's economic strength. To understand this drawing fully, one might research the maritime industry in the Netherlands during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. Such research could reveal the types of ships depicted, their function, and the role of maritime trade in Dutch society.