Military & Political · 16th century
€ 340
One of a kind: this is the sheet in the photographs. Ships from Langweer, the Netherlands.
given age Fold as published. General age-related toning and/or occasional minor defects from handling, mostly outside the image. Please study scan carefully.
This detailed and dramatic 18th-century etching and engraving by Coenraet Decker illustrates the historic destruction of the pontoon bridge on the Scheldt River during the Siege of Antwerp. Based on Decker’s own design and published in 1710, the scene captures the fiery explosion of ships used by Federigo Giambelli against the bridge constructed by Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma, to blockade Antwerp. This pivotal event occurred on the night of April 4-5, 1585.
The artwork vividly depicts:
- The immense explosion of the bridge, with fire and debris scattering across the river.
- Flaming ships (brandtscheepen) like De Hoop and De Fortuin used in the assault.
- The defensive structures on both the Flemish and Antwerp sides of the river, including De Schans S. Marye.
- The chaos and destruction of the siege, with smaller fire ships and the Duke of Parma’s “ship bridge” engulfed in flames.
Text beneath the illustration provides a detailed title and legend in Dutch, highlighting key locations and elements of the battle:
1. The pontoon bridge of Parma
2. The fire ship *De Hoop*
3. The fire ship *De Fortuin*
4. Smaller fire ships
5. The fort *S. Marye* on the Flemish shore.
This plate was originally used in P.C. Hooft’s *Nederlandsche historiën* (1677), a key historical work on the Eighty Years’ War. Measuring 280 x 350 mm on laid paper and preserved in a passepartout, this print is a rare and evocative artifact of military and maritime history, commemorating a key moment in the resistance against Spanish rule during the Dutch Revolt.
Keywords: antique engraving, Coenraet Decker, Siege of Antwerp, Eighty Years' War, 1585 Scheldt battle, Alessandro Farnese, Federigo Giambelli, historical maritime print, Dutch military history.
