Eighty Years War (Dutch War of Independence) (1568-1648)
Contemporary prints and maps of the battles and sieges of the Eighty Years War
Naval engagement at Havana and Bahía de Matanzas, 1628 (Havana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba) 23°07'58"N 82°22'58"W; (Bahía de Matanzas, Puerto de Matanzas, Cuba) 23°04ʹ27ʺN 81°30ʹ22ʺW
1629 or laterEngraving and woodcut; printed from two copperplates on two sheets of paper, then pasted together; woodcut title appears to be printed woodblock onto the same sheets of paper as the views; mounted on paper (mount cropped; remains of type B); no gilt edges | 35.6 x 94.6 cm (image and sheet) | RCIN 722037
A low-middle oblique views of a naval engagement off Havana on 31 July-1 August 1628 between the Spanish, commanded by Admiral Alvaro de la Cerda and the Dutch, under Admiral Pieter Adriaanszoon Ita (fl.1620-1629) resulting in a Dutch victory. Eighty Years War (Dutch War of Independence) (1568-1648). Oriented with south to top (cardinal points).
See RCIN 722036.a.
These two views, which have been pasted together, each carry, across the top of the view, part of the title 'NOORDSYD VAN'T EYLANDT / CVBA'. They show two different stages of the engagement. The right hand print is similar in design and detail to 722036.a. The two Spanish vessels fly the Spanish royal flag, showing the royal arms, crowned, with the collar of the Golden Fleece, between pillars and 'PLUS ULTRA'.
It is possible that these two prints were published separately as well as together. The printer, Hassel Gerritsz., was cartographer to the Dutch East India Company but appears to have made a voyage to the Caribbean in 1628-1629, and may have witnessed, or heard first hand, of this engagement. Since he would not have returned to the Netherlands until 1629, these prints must have been published in that year or later.
The example of this print in the Rijksmuseum (PR-P-OB-79.403) has letterpress text, printed in six columns, pasted to the bottom edge of the two views. Entitled: 'Kort Verhael van het Exploict by de / Vlote bestaende in twee Schepen ende dry Jachten / uyt Zeelandt twee Schepen van Amsterdam een Ship uyt= / te Mase van Dordrecht ende een van Groeningen; bescheyden / onder den Manhasten Pieter Adriaensz: Vlissingher uyt Ze= / landt als Admirael: ende Hans Abouts, Middelburgher van / Amsterdam als Vice-Admirael ten dienste vande Geoctroy= / eerde West-Indische Compagnie op den lesten Julij ende eer= / sten Augustij deses Jaers 1628 geluckigh uyt-gevoert. … T' AMSTELREDAM, By Hessel Gerritsz: op de hoeck vande Doele-Straet.'
Hessel Gerritsz (c.1581-1632) (publisher) [bottom right and bottom left, at end of key:] Gedruct bÿ Hessel Gerritsz.
Subject(s)
Navy-SpainNavy-NetherlandsWatermark: Coat of arms in crowned shield
Condition: three fold lines. Verso: brown discolouration; remains of mount
35.6 x 94.6 cm (image and sheet)
cropped (platemark)
Printed title:
VEROVERING VAN DEN ADMIRAEL ENDE VICEADMIRAEL VAN DE HONDVRAS: / door de Schepen eñ Iachten vande West-Indische Compagnie onder ’t beleyt vanden Admirael Pieter Adriaensz. van Vlissingen. / gheschiet op den 1. August. Ao. 1628. [across top, woodcut text]
Dedication:
[following on from title:] Den E. Heeren Bewindbebberen en Hooftpticipanten der . Geoctroyeerde West Indische Compagnie heel gedienstig geoffert door Hessel Gerritsz.
Additional text:[bottom left, a key, A-I, K-M:] Afteykening hoe de twee Hondurasche schepen / op den eersten August. des morghens door de Dolfyn / ende Leuwinne met de Fortune syn tegen strand geiaecht. [top, right of centre, a key, A-I, K-P:] Verloon hoe de twee Hondurasche Schepen, op den 1.en Aug. des namiddags, door de Schepen en Iachten / vande West Indische Comp. onder't beleyt vanden Admir. Pieter Adriaensz. van Vlissingen, sijn verovert.
Annotations:
George III heading: Naval Engagement off the Havana, 1 August 1628.
Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [right centre, red pencil:] 1/158-2; [bottom, left of centre, red pencil:] 1/158-2 [and, black pencil:] II/2[?].
George III catalogue entry:
Havana Verovering van den Admirael ende Viceadmirael vande Hondurus [sic] door de Schepen ende Jachten vande West Indische Comagnie onder ‘t beleyt vanden Admirael Pieter Adriaensz, op den 1 augusti 1628: doer Hessel Gerritsz. 2 tab. [The same entry appears under the heading Naval Engagement]
Subject(s)
Havana, Ciudad de La Habana, Cuba (23°07'58"N 82°22'58"W)
Bahía de Matanzas, Puerto de Matanzas, Cuba (23°04ʹ27ʺN 81°30ʹ22ʺW)
Bibliographic reference(s)
J. Keuning, 'Hessel Gerritsz', Imago Mundi 6, 1949, pp. 46-66
M. McDonald, The Print Collection of Cassiano dal Pozzo. Part II, Architecture, Topography and Military Maps, 3 vols, London 2019, cat. no. 2881
T. Wilson, Flags at Sea, London 1999, p. 53
Page revisions
25 May 2024
Current version
