Pair of Antique Delt 6-Tile Hand-Painted Tableaux, Each Depicting a Famous 17th Century Dutch Battleship

A Pair of Delt Tile Tableaux Each Made of 6 Hand-painted Polychrome Tiles Depicting a Famous 17th Century Dutch Battleship
This pair of Tableaux depicts two Dutch battleships known to have taken part in key battles of the Dutch-Angle Wars of the 17th century, including the Four Days Battle, from June 11 to June 14, 1666, one of the longest naval battles in history. One ship, the “7 Provinces” (named after Holland’s 7autonomous provinces at the time), was the flagship of Admiral Michael De Ruyter. It bears an ornamental coat of arms with emblems and lions. The second battleship is the “De Hoop”, commanded by Vice-Admiral Isaac Zweers, a well-known Dutch naval leader of the 17th century. These ships are depicted in Dutch engravings and museums in Holland.

Each Tableau is composed of 6 hand-painted Delft tiles that showcase one of the ships. Hand-painted, with strong colors, they create vibrant portraits of the ships, complete with uniformed sailors, flags, elaborate rigging, and detailed views of 17th century ship architecture. On one Tableau the ship is fully rigged and the sails are being buffeted by wind; the other has rigging in various stages of going down or up. There is a strong sense of motion with the sea waves curling and the flags flying. The details are exquisite, including the birds, the lions, the water and the shapes of the sails.

The tiles were made In Utrecht, probably at the end of the 19th or the early 20th century. They were made at the Westraven factory which was known for its hand-painted polychromed tiles – individual tiles and series such as “Sommer.” Westraven also produced historical scenes, including navel scenes such as these. Westraven tiles were highly collectable because of their color and detail.

Beyond their aesthetic significance these Tile Tableaux are historically important: they record an important period, and details of, the “Golden Age of Dutch Sea Power.” They also reflect the sustained use of tiles in Holland and the evolution of Dutch tile-making and tile-painting.