Segelbild

Segelbild is a German term used in art history and design to denote an image or depiction that centers on sails and sailing vessels. The word combines Segel (sail) and Bild (image). In maritime art, a Segelbild refers to works where the sail configuration, rigging, and the movement of wind are central, often portraying ships under sail, coastal scenes, or naval life. The term appears in museum catalogs and art-historical descriptions as a subject descriptor for such imagery across media, including oil paintings, watercolors, engravings, and prints.

In heraldry and emblematics, Segelbild may describe a schematic representation of sails used as a charge or decorative motif on flags, coats of arms, or corporate insignia, signaling seafaring identity or mercantile heritage. The stylistic range of Segelbilder spans from detailed, realistic ship portraits of the Dutch Golden Age and 18th-century marine painters to more stylized and decorative seascapes typical of romantic or nautical art.

The use of the term is primarily within German-speaking contexts, and English-language sources more often describe the subject simply as ships with sails or sail-driven ships rather than as a dedicated category. See also maritime art, ship portrait, seascape, heraldry.