. English: A States Yacht in a Fresh Breeze Running Towards a Group of Dutch Ships A large group of Dutch ships are shown gathered under a stormy sky. This may record the assembling of some of the Dutch fleet off the Texel in 1672, the year that the artist and his father came to England to work. Lieutenant-Admiral Michiel de Ruyter put to sea in late April or early May and Cornelis de Witt, the Ruwaard of Putten, joined de Ruyter's ship as the States-General's representative with the fleet. To the left, in port-quarter view, is a fishing pink with a six people on board and her square mainsail
. English: A States Yacht in a Fresh Breeze Running Towards a Group of Dutch Ships A large group of Dutch ships are shown gathered under a stormy sky. This may record the assembling of some of the Dutch fleet off the Texel in 1672, the year that the artist and his father came to England to work. Lieutenant-Admiral Michiel de Ruyter put to sea in late April or early May and Cornelis de Witt, the Ruwaard of Putten, joined de Ruyter's ship as the States-General's representative with the fleet. To the left, in port-quarter view, is a fishing pink with a six people on board and her square mainsail lowered. She flies a distinctive pendant at the masthead with red and yellow stripes, which may indicate the region of Vlieland and Terschelling. The prominence given to this pink with the unusual pendant may imply that it was being used to mark a shipping channel. De Ruyter was forced to order such boats to carry out this role because all the normal buoys and marks had been removed to form a hindrance to the English in case of invasion. A bezan yacht can be seen beyond the pink and there is other shipping on the horizon on the left. A man-of-war, shown starboard broadside and flying the Dutch flag, is firing a salute. In the right foreground is a sprit-rigged States yacht, in starboard-quarter view, which is probably the yacht of the States-General. Her foresail is lowered and she has a white ensign bearing a shield with the lion of the United Netherlands. This distinctive motif is repeated on the flag at the masthead, the longer-shaped flag at the peak and on the pendants. On her stern there is a shield bearing the lion of the Holland surrounded by arms and trophies, with naked figures on either side. Below the shield in a ribbon is the motto 'Vigilante Deo Confidentes', 'trusting in a vigilant God', inscribed in gold. The yacht is bathed in light and the brilliance of the sails forms a dramatic contrast to the grey clouds. There are figures on the deck attending to the fore
Size: 2641px × 1893px
Photo credit: © The Picture Art Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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