Portrait of Michiel de Ruyter (1607-1676)

Michiel de Ruyter, Admiral of the Dutch Fleet, won a glorious battle against the English in the Four Days’ Battle of 1666. To commemorate this victory, he had his portrait painted by the Amsterdam portraitist Bol. In the background is a seascape with De Ruyter’s flagship.

The portrait is still in its original seventeenth-century frame. It is a gilded trophy frame boasting a wonderful collection of weaponry: drums, flags, cannons and powder kegs. De Ruyter’s coat of arms is displayed in the top centre.