Portrait of the 'Eendracht'

Here, the ‘Eendracht’ is portrayed from the port quarter, as she was after the battle of the Sound in 1658. Several guns appear to be missing from the ship’s ports and some of the portlids (the rectangular lids which close a porthole) are missing, having been shot away. The hull of the ship is also scarred with shot holes. The fore course (the largest sail on the front mast) and the lower parts of the main and mizzen masts are depicted. In addition, there are three small barges floating in the water alongside the boat, underneath her stern.

On the ship’s tafferel on the far left is the lion of the United Provinces. There are also two bunches of grapes hanging on either side of the lion and above the fence pictured in the tafferel. Above the grapes is the inscription: ‘ANNO 1654’. On the counter, below, is a ribbon, which is left blank.

This is an accurate drawing of a ship in her damaged state after the battle of the Sound in 1658. There is a comparable work in the Boymans Museum, Rotterdam (MB1866/ T 310). This work also depicts the ‘Eendracht’ from the port quarter and probably in reverse. It is less complete in its decoration than the NMM picture.

Object Details

ID: PAH9341
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Velde, Willem van de, the Elder
Vessels: Eendracht (1653)
Date made: 1658
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Sheet: 340 x 559 mm; Mount: 604 mm x 833 mm