Where can I see The burning of the English fleet off Chatham, 20 June 1667?

The burning of the English fleet off Chatham, 20 June 1667 is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is The burning of the English fleet off Chatham, 20 June 1667?

The burning of the English fleet off Chatham, 20 June 1667 is associated with Dutch Golden Age.

Artwork

The burning of the English fleet off Chatham, 20 June 1667

The burning of the English fleet off Chatham, 20 June 1667 is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Unknown. It dates from 1670 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The fire symbolizes both destruction and the chaotic nature of maritime warfare, reflecting contemporary Dutch pride in repelling the English incursion.

The painting shows the English fleet engulfed in flames during a naval clash, a dramatic portrayal of a 1667 attack on the Dutch coast. The fire symbolizes both destruction and the chaotic nature of maritime warfare, reflecting contemporary Dutch pride in repelling the English incursion. Rendered in oil on panel, the work combines precise ship detail with a sweeping, turbulent sky to convey the intensity of the encounter.

Technique & Style

The work is an oil painting executed on wood panel, reflecting the marine genre popular in 17th-century Dutch art. The composition captures the intensity of the English fleet's destruction through dramatic chiaroscuro and swift brushwork characteristic of the van der Velde circle. Its formal treatment emphasizes dynamic movement and meticulous detail in rendering smoke and wreckage.

History & Provenance

The painting titled The burning of the English fleet off Chatham, 20 June 1667, was created in 1670 as an oil on panel work in the Low Countries. It is attributed to a follower of Willem van de Velde the Younger and was made for the Rijksmuseum, where it remains in the collection. The work measures 73 cm in height and 108 cm in width and falls within the marine genre.

The painting is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is located as part of the museum's holdings. According to the Wikidata record, the work is catalogued as a painting by a follower of Willem van de Velde the Younger, with an inception date of 1670. The sources do not provide a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they document any exhibition history for the work.

The sources do not provide a specific inventory or accession number, nor do they document any exhibition history for the work.

Overview

This oil painting depicts a dramatic maritime disaster: the 1667 burning of the English fleet off Chatham, with multiple ships engulfed in flames and smoke, set against a contrasting backdrop of dark shadows and fiery hues.

Context

Created in the aftermath of a significant naval defeat for England, the painting may serve as a record of the event, potentially commissioned to commemorate the Dutch victory or as a reflection on the English naval disaster.

Legacy

The painting's legacy is not explicitly outlined in the provided information, though its detailed depiction of a pivotal historical event suggests it may be valued for its historical and artistic significance within maritime or Dutch/English conflict art collections.