Artwork
Het beleg van Schenkenschans in 1636
Het beleg van Schenkenschans in 1636 is an unspecified painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Gerrit van Santen. It dates from 1644 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. This painting is the sole surviving work from a series of thirteen that once commemorated a significant Dutch military victory.
About this work
Overview
This painting is the sole surviving work from a series of thirteen that once commemorated a significant Dutch military victory.
Subject & Meaning
The scene depicts the capture of Schenkenschans, a strategically crucial fortress on the Republic's eastern border, by a combined Dutch-French army on April 29, 1636. Control of the fortress determined access to the country via the Rhine and Waal rivers.
Technique & Style
The painting is characterized by a detailed and busy battle scene, with soldiers clashing on a riverbank, cannons firing, and smoke rising over the star-shaped fortress.
History & Provenance
Originally part of a larger series celebrating Frederick Henry's military triumphs, the painting's creator remains unknown.
Artist & collection
Artist
Gerrit van Santen or Gerard Cornelisz van Santen (1591/92–1656) was a Dutch Golden Age painter and writer. He was born in Delft probably in 1591 or 1592, and was buried in the city on 26 April 1656.
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Untitled