Abraham Matthijs

Abraham Matthijs or Abraham Matthys (1581 in Antwerp – 2 September 1649 in Antwerp) was a Flemish painter and art collector who was active in Antwerp and Italy. He is known for his religious compositions, marine scenes and portraits. Abraham left Antwerp for Italy in 1603. Little is known about his residence or his work in Italy. He was back in Antwerp in 1619. He left Antwerp not long after that and was absent from Antwerp from 1619 until the end of 1623. From 1633 to 1644 he received a pupil almost annually. He remained a bachelor his whole life and became a member of the Third Order Regular of St. Francis of Penance. It shows a fleet of whaling ships at work with some of the whales floundering about while being hauled to the shore.