Eighty Years War (Dutch War of Independence) (1568-1648)
Contemporary prints and maps of the battles and sieges of the Eighty Years War
Battle of Nieuwpoort, 1600
PRAELII HUIUS / FŒDERATI BELGII ORDINUM / AUSPICIIS DUCTUQUE MAURITII. / NASSOVII FELICITER PUGNATI / HYPOTYPOSIS EISDEM ILLUS / TRISSIMIS PROCERIBUS / PRINCIPI.Q. / DEVOVETUR
published 1616Etching and engraving; printed from two copperplates on two sheets of paper, joined; mounted on paper (mount cropped, type not identifiable) | 58.8 x 88.6 cm (image) | RCIN 721102.a
A low oblique view of the later stages of the Battle of Nieuwpoort, fought on 2 July 1600 between the Dutch, commanded by Maurice of Nassau, and the Spanish Habsburg army, commanded by Albert VII, Archduke of Austria (13 November 1559-13 July 1621), Governor of the Spanish Netherlands, and Francisco de Mendoza, Admiral of Aragón (bap.21 August 1550-1 March 1623), Commander-in-Chief of the Habsburg army of Flanders, resulting in a Dutch victory. The Eighty Years War (Dutch War of Independence) (1568-1648). Oriented with north-north-west to top (compass rose). See RCINs 721102.b and c for the accompanying letterpress text.
See the notes to RCIN 721099. This view shows the later stages of the battle, after 13.00 hours, when the tide had come in, reducing the area on the beach to about 50-100 yards of firm sand and forcing the Spanish up onto the dunes, giving the battle its alternative name: the Battle of the Dunes. These dunes were about 350-700 yards in breadth, very high, undulating and irregular in shape – shown to good effect in this print, composed of loose sand which in places, was overgrown with low scrub, perhaps furze.
This view identifies the regiments of both sides by name; the Dutch ammunition fleet is shown offshore. Two coats of arms, top centre, each within a wreath supported by Brabant lions holding, on the left coat of arms of the United States of the Netherlands and a bunch of arrows; on the right, the coat of arms of Maurice of Nassau and a sword.
The Rijks Museum example (RP-P-OB-80.452) is attributed to Floris Balthasarsz. van Berckenrode.
Watermark: None visible
Condition: five fold lines. Verso: worn and surface dirt along folds; remains of Mount Type A or B; no gilt edges
None visible
Old heading: Nieuport 2 July 1600. Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top right, red pencil:] 1/88; [top right, black pencil, erased:] I/[?].
58.8 x 88.6 cm (image)
59.2 x 89.2 cm (sheet)
Printed title:
PRAELII HUIUS / FŒDERATI BELGII ORDINUM / AUSPICIIS DUCTUQUE MAURITII. / NASSOVII FELICITER PUGNATI / HYPOTYPOSIS EISDEM ILLUS / TRISSIMIS PROCERIBUS / PRINCIPI.Q. / DEVOVETUR [top right, in a cartouche embellished with strapwork]
Additional text:
[bottom, right of centre, in a cartouche, a verse in two columns, signed H. Grotius, text begins:] Hæc videat, si quod Fortune viuit in orbe … ; [bottom right, in an elaborate cartouche decorated with flags and cannon:] ANATHEMATA HAEC SACRA SVNTO / ILLVSTRIS · FEDERATAR · / PROVINCIAR · ORDINIBVS · / Qui Vobis didicit sperare, timere magistris / Doctrinæ hæc, proceres, præmia mittit Iber / H. Gr.
Annotations:
George III heading: Nieuport 2 July 1600.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [top right, red pencil:] 1/88; [top right, black pencil, erased:] I/[?].
George III catalogue entry:
Nieuport A View of the Battle of Nieuport on the 2.d of July 1600, by Florentius Balthasar, published by Hondius, 1616: 2 sheets: with a Description.
Subject(s)
Nieuwpoort, Flanders, Belgium (51°07'48"N 02°45'04"E)
Bibliographic reference(s)
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 2745
Page revisions
14 March 2024
Current version
