De sloepen op een brekende ijsplaat, 1597 1598

"De sloepen op een brekende ijsplaat" is a 1598 engraving depicting a scene of chaos and danger as a group of sailors struggle to rescue their boats from a breaking ice sheet. The artist, whose identity remains unknown, provides a detailed, graphic depiction of the struggle to survive. The scene is reminiscent of the early Dutch Golden Age fascination with exploration and the dangers of the sea, with a focus on realism and meticulous detail. This engraving, now housed in the Rijksmuseum, is a valuable historical document capturing the harsh realities of 16th-century seafaring.