Treffen tussen een vloot onder Jan Bart en een Hollandse vloot, 1696 1806

Yves Marie Le Gouaz made this print, "Meeting between a fleet under Jan Bart and a Dutch fleet, 1696," sometime around the late 18th century, using etching and engraving. It depicts a naval battle, referencing an actual event. The image conjures up questions about the political and economic contexts of maritime power in the Netherlands and France during the 17th century. Le Gouaz made the image long after the event he was representing. It is therefore likely to be a comment on the historical relationship between France and the Netherlands. The print may have served a commemorative function, reminding viewers of past conflicts and naval victories. To fully understand this print, we need to investigate the institutional histories of naval power in both countries, as well as the cultural meanings of maritime imagery at the time it was made. The history of art relies on such contextual research to reveal the complex social life of images.