Dutch Ships Ramming Spanish Galleys near Calais, 3 October 1602, Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom, Cornelis Hendriksz Vroom, 1617

Dutch Ships Ramming Spanish Galleys near Calais, 3 October 1602, Hendrick Cornelisz Vroom, Cornelis Hendriksz Vroom, 1617

oil on canvas, h 118cm × w 151cm Catalogue entry

Terror emanates from the bald-shaven and half-naked galley slaves. While the soldiers aboard still have a chance to escape, the enslaved crew remains chained to the rowing benches, condemned to face death by drowning. The Dutch revolt against Spain unfolded primarily at sea, where the Spanish galleys proved powerless against the robust Dutch three-masters that simply rammed into them.

Catalogue entry