The dunes of Zandvoort, overlooking the beach with stranded fishing-boats

This finished drawing is based on the artist's sketch of the same composition in his sketchbook in the Municipal archives, Haarlem (B. Sliggers, Het schetsboek van Cornelis van Noorde 1731-1795 - het leven van een veelzijdig Haarlems kunstenaar, Haarlem, 1982, pp. 128 and 155, no. 2r, illustrated). Sliggers (loc. cit.) suggested a dating of circa 1755 for the sketch based on the fact that it was drawn on the very first page of the album. This dating is now confirmed by the date on the present drawing. The album includes sketches dated between 1756 and 1768, partly done on a trip to the East and North of Holland, reaching Wesel (just over the eastern border in Germany) and Groningen. It is interesting to note just how many years van Noorde actually took the album along on his trips, while he would continue to use the sketches for finished drawings such as the present lot.

The beach shown may be near the Schuitegat and the ships are bomschuiten used for herring fishing. In 1755 Zandvoort was still a very small village, mainly inhabited by fishermen who would sell their fish in nearby Haarlem.