JAN PORCELLIS (GHENT 1584-1632 ZOUTERWOUDE)

In recent years, there has been some undue confusion as to whether this painting is by Jan Porcellis or his son Julius, with Peter Sutton having recently published it as a work by the latter (loc. cit.). The difficulty distinguishing between the two Porcellis’ work – both artists signed using their initials – was recognized early on. In his biography on Jan, Arnold Houbraken noted that Julius ‘came so close to [his father] in art that they are often confused, all the more because like his father, he wrote J. P. under his works’ (A. Houbraken, De groote schouburgh der Nederlantsche konstschilders en schilderessen, I, Amsterdam, 1718, pp. 213-214). On account of the present painting's similarities with works like An estuary in stormy weather (Museum Boijmans Van Beuningen, Rotterdam) and Sailboats in an estuary (Musée des Beaux-Arts de Bordeaux), both of which date to circa 1630 and are by the elder Porcellis, it can likewise be given to him.
We are grateful to Dr. John Walsh for suggesting the attribution on the basis of photographs.