Reinier Nooms (1623 – 1667), also known as Zeeman (the Dutch word for sailor) was a maritime painter knows for his detailed paintings of ships. The image above is a clipping of the oil painting titled A View of the Amsterdam Harbor completed sometime between 1643 and 1667. I took the picture using my iPhone this morning off the original at the High Museum of Art in Atlanta, Georgia. The resolution of the photograph is bad and it does not do the painting justice at all.

The rigging on this ship is so detailed, he must have painted with a brush with a single hair. This inspired me to get back to work on my painting titled Golden Gate. I have been procrastinating, because I can’t figure out how to paint the vertical cables that come down from the main cables to hold up the bridge.

After seeing this painting of Nooms, I am now inspired to get back to work on that painting.

Nooms died almost 350 years ago. I would truly consider myself successful if I could inspire somebody living in the year 2360 with my art work.