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Notes
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In June 1667 Lieutenant-Admiral Michiel de Ruyter led a daring Dutch amphibious attack on the Medway. His force burnt Sheerness, destroyed or captured a number of British ships off Chatham and blockaded the Thames for several weeks, before de Ruyter turned his attention on Harwich. The attempt was ultimately unsuccessful due to adverse weather conditions and the bombardment of Landguard Fort was ineffective. De Ruyter and Cornelis de Witt, representing the States-General, landed with their troops and followed them to the fort. However, it proved too strong to be captured and the Dutch troops were forced to re-embark. The artist has shown the Dutch fleet at anchor off Harwich with the nearer ships in Felixstowe roads and the more distant ones on the left in the Rolling Grounds, prior to the landing.
The ship in the right foreground is the 'Huis te Oosterwijk' with a country house and lake or moat painted on her tafferel. She was an Amsterdam ship, also showing the arms of Amsterdam and lion supporters. On her starboard bow is another ship in bow view, moored with two anchors and belonging to the Zeeland squadron, since she has a Flushing jack and pendant. The ship astern flies a striped jack and belongs to a different squadron.
In the foreground the artist has included three porpoises, which were known to exist in great numbers off the coast of Harwich.
Title
Dutch Attack on Harwich, July 1667
Date
1669
Medium
oil & grisaille on canvas
Measurements
H 54.6 x W 74.9 cm
Accession number
BHC0296
Work type
Painting
National Maritime Museum
Romney Road, Greenwich, London, Greater London SE10 9NF England
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