The Swedish Yacht Lejonet on the IJ River at Amsterdam

Backhuizen lent new drama and spontaneity to marine painting in his depiction of the surface of the water stirred up by the wind and the cloudy sky rich in contrast. Ships lie at anchor on the IJ, an inland arm of the IJsselmeer and part of Amsterdam harbour. It has been depicted in great detail for an audience of viewers familiar with the setting. The ship flying flags in the foreground is probably the royal Swedish yacht Lejonet, built in Holland in 1669. In the background is the silhouette of the city.