Painted almost exclusively in tones of grey, Wouwerman captured a fierce storm on a rocky coast. On the right, a ship in distress is abandoned by its crew. The dramatic composition of this picture betrays its tiny format. Wouwerman lived in the Dutch city of Haarlem and is best known for his landscape paintings, often including groups of riders on horseback. This is one of only three seascapes he painted during his prolific and successful career.