In 1673, two Dutch artists travelled to England at the request of Charles II.
Willem van de Velde the Elder was renowned for his highly accurate drawings of ships and maritime life. He would even go to sea himself, paper in hand, to capture naval battles as they were raging.
His son, Willem van de Velde the Younger, was a celebrated painter. From calm coastal scenes to fierce storms, his work captured the many moods of the ocean.
Together they established a studio at the Queen's House in Greenwich. Here they worked, creating royal commissions, magnificent paintings and tapestries, as well as thousands of detailed sketches, drawings and designs.
Now, 350 years on from their first arrival in England, the Queen's House will once again become a home for the Van de Veldes.
The Van de Veldes: Greenwich, Art and the Sea will follow the journey of these émigré artists, and explore how they changed the course of British maritime art.
Prepare to set sail for Greenwich, and experience the art of the Van de Veldes.
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