Bootjes op het water 1849 - 1917

"Bootjes op het water" (Little Boats on the Water) is a watercolor painting by Dutch artist Matthijs Maris, created between 1849 and 1917. This small-scale artwork, currently housed at the Rijksmuseum, depicts a serene scene of several sailing boats navigating a calm body of water. The composition focuses on a group of figures in a rowboat in the foreground, their simple forms contrasting with the more distant boats and the expansive sky. Maris is known for his romantic depictions of Dutch landscapes and seascapes, often imbued with a sense of melancholy and solitude.