On the right is a States yacht ('statenjacht') with Dutch colours. This type of ship was used to transport members or guests of the States General, the chamber of representatives of the United Provinces in The Hague. On the left another States yacht fires ...

This is the largest & most elaborate painting by Willem van de Velde in the National Gallery's Collection. It is signed inside the wreath on the pennant of the boat in the right foreground, & dated 1661 on the stern of the row-barge to the left. The central vessel is a 'statenjacht' (a vessel used by the Dutch chamber of provincial representative, the States General, to transport its members & visitors) with the arms of the Province of Holland &, above, those of Amsterdam, which are also present on the stern of the row barge alongside. In the left foreground there is another row-barge with the arms of the admiralty. The painting probably represents the departure of admiralty officials on their way from Amsterdam across the Zuiderzee to visit the fleet. ...

The identity of the family has not been established. The youngest child is being pushed along in a 'loopstoel'. The girl on the right plays an instrument which is probably a cittern. The older girl picks roses; because they are the flowers of Venus, the g ...

This portrait of an unidentified family was probably painted in the late 1640s. The parents are seated in the centre while their seven children stand & play around them. They range from the eldest daughter on the right, who appears to be aged seventeen ...

It has been suggested that this portrait shows the family of Vincent Laurensz. van der Vinne (born 1629) on the basis of comparison with a drawing by Leendert van der Cooghen (1610
- 1681) in Berlin. However, the resemblance is very slight & this painting is quite unlike the work of van der Cooghen. The costumes suggest that the painting dates from the 1650s, possibly by an artist familiar with painting in Delft. The only certain record of Michiel Nouts is a signed & dated portrait by him in Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum). A stylistic resemblance between the two portraits forms the basis for the attribution of this one. Before 1900 the picture was cut in half. In 1915, after both halves had entered the collection, they were rejoined, & replacements of missing portions were added at the top, bottom & centre.
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This is one of Isack van Ostade's early works. He was a pupil of his older brother Adriaen van Ostade & this composition is based on those of his brother. However, he was later to develop into a powerfully original painter. Unfortunately, his promising career was cut short by his premature death at the age of 28. ...

The figure rests on a sword & may represent Saint Catherine of Alexandria who was tortured on a wheel & then beheaded with a sword. This work has in the past been attributed to Solimena, but it may be Roman rather than Neapolitan. ...

This work & ' Saint Luke painting the Virgin & Child' are the outer & inner faces of the right shutter of an altarpiece. No other elements of this altarpiece are known. The female figure may represent the Virgin Mary or another holy woman. According t ...

This fragment appears to be the head of a female saint, possibly the Magdalen. It has in the past been attributed to Bernaert van Orley, but is now considered loosely related to the output of the Master of the Female Half-Lengths. ...

The painting, perhaps a fanciful portrait of a woman as a saint, rather than merely a generic depiction, is related to a picture thought to be by Dosso Dossi now in a private collection. However, it is also close in style to the late work of Raphael which Dossi knew very well. It could well be by a later artist. ...