Untitled

The central figure is Cornelis de Witt, a statesman rather than a soldier, shown in elaborate, imagined armor on the deck of a ship. Around him lie symbols of martial triumph—a cannon, a suit of armor, and a cornucopia spilling fruit—while an angel crowns his head with a victory wreath and the allegorical figure of Fame sounds a trumpet, underscoring his celebrated role in the naval action.

De Baen employs a theatrical composition, placing the hero in the foreground against a distant, bustling sea battle rendered in smaller scale. The painted frame is richly ornamented with a variety of weapons, echoing the martial theme. The work balances realistic details of the ships and artillery with idealised, allegorical elements.

The painting was produced as a commemorative piece for the city of Dordrecht, its upper border bearing Dordrecht’s civic arms and the lower border the De Witt family coat of arms. After the destruction of the original in 1672, this replica survived and entered the museum collection, where it remains a testament to 17th‑century civic propaganda.

The work reflects the Dutch Golden Age practice of celebrating naval victories through allegorical portraiture, merging political figures with heroic iconography. By portraying de Witt in martial garb, the painting links his political leadership to the collective military success of the Republic during the Second Anglo‑Dutch War.