A DUTCH SHIP GETTING UNDER WAY FIRING A SALUTE - "THE CANNON SHOT"

THE ORIGINAL, SIGNED, ON CANVAS, 78.5 X 67 CM, HAS BEEN IN THE RIJKSMUSEUM, AMSTERDAM, SINCE 1885, ON LOAN FROM THE CITY OF AMSTERDAM (P.J.J. VAN THIEL, ALL THE PAINTINGS, ETC., 1976, P.562, NOC244, ILL.). IT IS THE COMPANION PIECE TO THE EQUALLY FAMOUS MASTERPIECE KNOWN AS THE GUST, THAT HAS BEEN IN THE RIJKSMUSEUM SINCE 1900. AS M.S. ROBINSON RELATES IN THE PAINTINGS OF THE WILLEM VAN DE VELDES, I, 1990, PP.292/4, THE ORIGINAL WAS BEQUEATHED BY A. VAN DER HOOP IN 1854 TO THE CITY OF AMSTERDAM. ALTHOUGH THE WHEREABOUTS OF THE PICTURE BEFORE IT ENTERED THE VAN DER HOOP COLLECTION IS UNCERTAIN, IT CAN MOST LIKELY BE IDENTIFIED AS THE PICTURE OWNED BY C.J. NIEUWENHUYS, WHOSE COLLECTION OF IMPORTANT OLD MASTER PICTURES WAS SOLD AT CHRISTIE'S LONDON, 11 MAY 1833. BESIDES VAN DE VELDE'S CANNON SHOT, THIS SALE ALSO INCLUDED POTTER'S CATTLE-PIECE OF 1647 (SEE LOT 29).