The Siege of Schenkenschans in 1636, Gerrit van Santen, c. 1644 - c. 1647
oil on canvas, h 55.4cm × w 141.7cm × t 6cm Catalogue entry
Thirteen paintings once hung in a gallery glorifying Frederick Henry’s military triumphs. This is the only one that has been preserved: it depicts his victory on 29 April 1636 at Schenkenschans, on the Republic’s eastern border where the rivers Rhine and Waal split. Whoever controls this stronghold, controls access to the country. While Schenkenschans is being attacked from the rivers, a fierce battle between a combined Dutch-French army and Spanish forces is raging in the foreground.
