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Other 17th-century conflicts

Printed and manuscript maps, prints and views of 22 seventeenth-century wars

JAN DRAPENTIER (ACTIVE 1674-1713)

Beachy Head and English Channel, 1690

A Prospect of ye Late Engagement att Sea Betwixt ye English and ye French Fleets on Monday y[e] 30 June 1690

1690 or later

Etching and engraving; printed on paper | 14.0 x 39.2 cm (image and neatline) | RCIN 724047

A view of the defeat of the English and Dutch fleet, commanded by Arthur Herbert, 1st Earl of Torrington (c.1648-1716) and Cornelis Evertsen (1642-1706), by the French, commanded by Anne Hilarion, comte de Tourville (1642-1701) on 30 June (10 July N.S.) in the naval Battle of Beachy Head, 1690. Nine Years War (1688-97). Oriented with west to top (cardinal points).

A different version of this print, entitled A Prospect of ye Late Engagement att Sea, Betwixt ye English and ye french Fleets, on Monday ye 30.th June 1690 was ‘Exactly drawn by I.B’ [Isaac Basire (1704-1768)]: ‘as / he had it from Seuerall officers / of ye fleet, who where in ye engagement. / I.B. delin: et Sculps.’ The inset, bottom right, is completely different. It is oriented with west to top and shows the position of the engagement solely in relation to a small part of the English coast at Beachy Head. (National Maritime Museum PAD5158 and British Museum 1935,0716.9.) This different print probably dates from at least the 1720s.

Another version, lacking the engraved text and title and author statement, was printed as a broadside with letterpress text in Dutch and French, and printed on the same sheet as the engraved view. It was entitled Een Vertooninge van de laaste Zee-Battalje tussen de Engelsse, Hollande en / Fransse Vlooten, voorgevallen op Maandag, zynde den 30 Juny 1690. // Representation du dernier Combat Naval, qui c’est fait, le Lundi, 30 Juin 1690. en- / tre les Flottes, Angloises, Hollandoises & Francoises. and was printed by J. Robyn in Amsterdam (British Museum 1854,0614.257).

Inset: [bottom right, in rectangular panel, a map of the English Channel showing the engagement in relation to the French and English coasts. Scale: English and French Leagus [sic] 20 in a degree [29 mm =]. Size: 4.3 x 10.7 cm (neatline).

Additional text: [bottom, below view, keys to the different types of ships, positions of admirals and vice admirals, the English, Dutch and French fleets.]

For further reading, see:
R. Sharp, ‘Drapentier, Jan (fl.1674–1713)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004; online edn, Oct 2007.
H. Parker, Naval battles from the collection of prints formed and owned by Commander Sir Charles Leopold Cust. [With an introduction by Commander Charles Napier Robinson.] London, 1911, no.27.a

Condition: four old fold lines; several crease marks; some wear and perforations to fold lines; small piece missing from top right edge.
  • Jan Drapentier (active 1674-1713) (draughtsman) [bottom left, in rectangular panel:] Exactly drawn By the / directions of Severall officers / who were in the Engagement / By I. Drapentier at the blew Anchor in S.t Martins / Le grand

  • Watermark: Cropped; part of a crown

    Condition: four old fold lines; several crease marks; some wear and perforations to fold lines; small piece missing from top right edge

  • 14.0 x 39.2 cm (image and neatline)

    14.2 x 39.6 cm (sheet)

  • Printed title:

    A Prospect of ye Late Engagement att Sea Betwixt ye English and ye French Fleets on Monday y[e] 30 June 1690. [top, above view]

    Inset:

    [bottom right, in rectangular panel, a map of the English Channel showing the engagement in relation to the French and English coasts. Scale: English and French Leagus [sic] 20 in a degree [29 mm =]. Size: 4.3 x 10.7 cm (neatline).

    Additional text:

    [bottom, below view, keys to the different types of ships, positions of admirals and vice admirals, the English, Dutch and French fleets.]

    Annotations:

    George III heading: [partly written on a strip of white paper which is pasted to the left side of the print:] Naval Engagement 30 June 1690.

    Other annotations: (Recto) none. (Verso) [bottom right, black pencil:] N_ .

    George III catalogue entry:

    Naval Engagement A Prospect of the late Engagement at Sea betwixt the English and the French Fleets on Monday the 30.th of June 1690: by I. Drapentier.

  • Subject(s)

    Beachy Head, East Sussex, UK (50°44ʹ14ʺN 00°14ʹ51ʺE)

  • Bibliographic reference(s)

    W.P.C. Knuttel,. Catalogus van de pamfletten-verzameling berustende in de Koninklijke Bibliotheek ‘s, 9 vols, Gravenhage 1889-1920, III, p. 51, no. 13401

    H. Parker, Naval battles from the collection of prints formed and owned by Commander Sir Charles Leopold Cust. With an introduction C.N. Robinson, London 1911, no.27.a

    R. Sharp, ‘Drapentier, Jan (fl.1674–1713)’, Oxford Dictionary of National Biography, 2004; online edn, Oct 2007

Page revisions

  • 14 March 2024