The Dutch Raid on the Medway and the Capture of the Royal Charles, 1667 1782

Curator: Just look at the frenetic energy of this print. The water practically churns! It’s Mathias de Sallieth's "The Dutch Raid on the Medway and the Capture of the Royal Charles, 1667," made in 1782, an engraving that just pulsates with drama, though entirely in shades of gray. What leaps out at you? Editor: Utter chaos, but with a strange beauty. It’s like witnessing a ballet of aggression, a perfectly orchestrated storm of little boats swarming a behemoth. The tonal range for a print is quite amazing; it almost tricks the eye into seeing color. Curator: Yes, and the perspective. You're right there, amid it all, at water level, experiencing this brash, triumphant moment. The Dutch pulling up to the Royal Charles. Do you feel the narrative power? De Sallieth uses the baroque drama to elevate what was essentially a humiliating defeat for the English. Editor: Oh, absolutely. History painting as pure theatre. I love how the meticulously rendered details, the ships' rigging, the soldiers’ outfits, create this tapestry effect. But it's the human element that grabs you. Every figure seems caught in a desperate, energetic pose. Are those English sailors drowning in the foreground? Grim! Curator: Most probably! Remember that images like this served to cement national identity. It’s not just a historical record, but a carefully constructed message about Dutch power and naval prowess. That would especially resonate within the historical context when this work was made in 1782! Editor: So it is meant as almost a historical revision, as well? That's incredible. It also serves as a record and reminder to viewers of times when things felt more turbulent, dangerous. So, it feels surprisingly…present? As in, a possible version of "now" even. Curator: Very much. This single image condenses time and meaning, reminding viewers of a shared heritage shaped by conflict and the sea. And you, dear listener, can feel this epic drama encapsulated in this masterful engraving held in the Rijksmuseum's collection. Editor: Definitely, Mathias de Sallieth is certainly showing us what it looks like when history makes a splash! This piece asks a lot of deep questions, to say the least.