Ludolf Bakhuizen - The Eendracht and a Fleet of Dutch Men-of-War [c.1670-75]

The Eendracht and a Fleet of Dutch Men-of-War [c.1670-75], a photo by Gandalf's Gallery on Flickr.

The main vessel in the centre is the Eendracht which was built in 1653, and was the 76-gun flagship of Lieutenant Admiral Jacob van Wassenaer van Obdam. She was blown up, with the loss of her crew and the admiral, at the battle of Lowestoft in 1665, which was an English victory. On the stern is the ship's name and the lion of the Dutch United Provinces. Yet the painting is not accurate in all details; it was made in the 1670s, after the destruction of the ship, probably on the basis of earlier drawings. Bakhuizen (1630-1708) was born in Emden; in about 1650 he settled in Amsterdam. He specialised in seascapes, almost invariably with rough water. 

[Oil on canvas, 75.5 x 105.5 cm]