Bay and Harbor from near Fort Castle William

A large three-masted ship with furled and billowing sails sits in choppy water at left, while two sloops with raked masts lean into the wind at right. A squared stone fort stands on a spit at the far left under heavy clouds. The sea is rendered in dark, agitated strokes, and the image is a black-and-white photograph of an oil painting.

Look closer: A small sailboat with a pennant is visible near the distant hills at center right.

Artist

Unknown

Date

ca. 1850

Medium

Oil on canvas

Source

The Metropolitan Museum of Art

Size

2280 × 1504 px

Credit (appreciated, not required for public-domain works): The Metropolitan Museum of Art, The Edward W. C. Arnold Collection of New York Prints, Maps, and Pictures, Bequest of Edward W. C. Arnold, 1954