The Eendracht and a Dutch Fleet of Men-of-War before the Wind

by Ludolph Backhuysen (Ludolf Backhuizen), ca. 1670-75

The National Gallery, London

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A Dutch battle fleet and its flagship the Eendracht (Dutch for Concord or Unity) are the subject of this impressive work by Ludolph Backhuysen. The Eendracht was built in 1653 – 1655 in Rotterdam at the Admiralty of de Maze and her construction costs were shared by all seven provinces of the Republic. She had served as a flagship for Admiral Jakob van Wassenaer van Obdam during the Swedish Campaign of 1658-1659 and later participated in the Battle of Lowestoft on June 3^rd 1665 where she blew up causing much disarray among the Dutch thus contributing to the English victory. On this painting she is shown flying a long tricolor wimple indicating the presence of an admiral on board.

The depiction of the Eendracht’s ornate stern here is not accurate. In reality the lion was carved rampant and set within a fence symbolizing the borders of the Dutch Republic that he protected. This inaccuracy suggests that the painting was created after the loss of the Eendracht, probably in the early 1670s. This painting is on display in the National Gallery in London.

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Dutch Ships in Distress off a Rocky Coast by Ludolph Backhuysen, 1667

National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC

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This highly dramatic scene of Dutch ships facing seemingly eminent destruction by the raging sea is a prominent example of Backhuysen’s abilities to theatrically portray the forces of nature. Despite the great danger the sailors continue a heroic battle for survival. The ship in the centre seems to be already in control. Her sails are reefed and she steers leeward from the murderous rocks. The ship at the right, however, is still drifting towards the coast with her masts crippled. Uncontrolled she is on a collision course to the ship in the center making the latter’s escape far from certain.

A contemporary observer could read morale from this painting. Man’s pride symbolized here as mighty sea-going ships can still be humbled by the elemental forces of nature or, in the eyes of a Calvinist Dutchman, the will of the almighty God.

This painting was commissioned in 1667 and today is on display in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC.

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The Warship Briele on the Maas before Rotterdam

By Ludolf  Bakhuysen, 1689

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

In the center of this painting is the Brielle, a 50-gun warship sailing by the Admiralty Buildings in Rotterdam. Her stern is decorated with a shield bearing the portrait of William III, Prince of Orange, with arms of England and Scotland on either side. The main mast is flying the flag of the Prince and a splitted pennant. To the right is a VOC yacht (possibly with Princess Mary, the Prince’s wife, on board) firing a salute. Two boats are accompanying the yacht, one of them is under the flag of the States-General. In the background one can see Rotterdam: the western and the eastern New Main Gate to the Leuvehaven, the St. Lawrence Church, City Hall and the old warehouse of the Admiralty.

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The Frigate "De Ploeg" on the Ij in Amsterdam

By Ludolf Bakhuizen (ca. 1685-1695)

Rijksmuseum Amsterdam

The Ij is a river, formerly a bay, that is known for being Amsterdam’s waterfront. On this painting Amsterdam is seen in the background behind merchant vessels and men of war including the frigate De Ploeg in the front.

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The Merchant Shipping Anchorage in the Texel with Texel Island and Oude Schild to the North West

By Ludolf Bakhuizen

National Maritime Museum Greenwich

The setting for the picture is the merchant shipping roadstead off the eastern coast of Texel, one of a group of northern islands guarding the entrance to the Zuider Zee. Texel Island can be seen ahead with the village of Oude Schild to the far right. The channel between the islands into the North Sea is on the horizon beyond the merchant ship furthest left. A group of three large ships is shown in the middle distance. To the left is a fluyt under sail with a larger ship passing, hidden beyond and to the right. Further back, a Dutch warship lies at anchor. Another fluyt lies at anchor on the far right. In the foreground, a group of small craft, typical of Dutch inland waterways, is tossed about by the boisterous weather. On the left, a wijdschip, with a weyschuit or punter, is lowering its sail in the immediate foreground. Another wijdschip is seen from the stern under billowing canvas, under the stern of the fluyt. On the right a kaag, a common type of ferry boat, is running before the wind with sprit-rigged mainsail and foresail.

The artist has intentionally arranged a cross section of coastal craft in the painting to demonstrate the significance of the sea. Bakhuizen was initially a calligrapher in his native Germany before moving to Amsterdam. There, he was inspired by the grisaille drawings of van de Velde, the Elder. Later, he was introduced to marine painting in oils in the studios of van Everdingen and Dubbels. He was a contemporary of van de Velde, the Younger and shared with him a concern for painting ships with accuracy and understanding. The painting is signed.

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