The View from the Aegean The year is 1779. The canvas captures a specific, salt-aired moment in the Ottoman Empire. N. Knop stands before a scene of maritime industry and ancient ruins, translating the topography of Smyrna into oil on canvas. The composition centers on the bustling waters where Dutch sailing ships navigate the coast. One vessel, identified by the name De Hector upon its stern, dominates the foreground, its presence a r…