De eerste Wedstrijd der Koninklijke Nederlandsche Yacht-Club, gehouden den 10 Junij 1846 op de Maas te Rotterdam 1846

Frans Arnold Breuhaus de Groot created this lithograph of the first regatta of the Royal Dutch Yacht Club in 1846. Predominantly rendered in shades of grey, the print captures a bustling scene on the Maas river in Rotterdam. The composition is divided horizontally, with the lower half dominated by the river and boats, and the upper half by the sky. The visual structure emphasizes a clear distinction between the built environment and the natural elements. On the left, architectural forms are rigid while the cloud formations on the horizon are soft and indistinct. The boats, filled with spectators, create a dynamic interplay of shapes and lines. The artist uses hatching and cross-hatching to create tonal variation and texture. This technique gives depth to the water and volume to the ships. De Groot’s focus on the formal elements serves to underscore the contrast between industrialization and nature. It also highlights the social stratification evident in the spectatorship of the regatta. The lithograph challenges fixed notions of progress and leisure, inviting us to question the values embedded in such spectacles.