The stern decoration of the Royal Charles

About the project

The project consists of several subsidiary research areas that are being carried out by specialists:

• pigment research to discover the original coloration (pigment sampling);
• identifying the wood (microscopic examination of wood samples);
• 3D photography (documentation for specialist research and as a by-product, dataset for a 3D print for tours for the blind and the visually impaired); itemising the construction (with the use of 3D images);
• dendrochronological dating (microscopic examination to narrow down the felling date);
• art-historical contextualisation (place within the tradition of ship decoration);
• archival research (British and Dutch sources).

The photographs and samples will be taken in situ. The results will eventually be summed up in a synoptic and analytical report and published in a general article.

Aim of the project

The stern decoration of the Royal Charles has been hanging in the permanent display of the Rijksmuseum since its opening in 1885. By tradition it symbolises the naval successes of the Dutch Republic, most notably those scored over Great Britain. The capture of the British flagship by a Dutch fleet under the command of Michiel de Ruyter during the Raid on the Medway in 1667 was a famous feat of arms, but far less is known about the ship’s construction, the materials used and its place in maritime art history. The digitisation and online accessibility of countless archives now make it possible to establish the historical context of its capture and analyse why the stern decoration has the cherished status of a relic.

Related publications

• Catalogus der verzameling van modellen van het Department van Marine, Den Haag 1858
• W.L. Clowes, The royal navy : A history from the earliest times to the present day, (zp 1898), vol. 2, p. 291-293
• G. van der Ham, De geschiedenis van Nederland in 100 voorwerpen, Amsterdam 2013
• A. Hoving, Modellen vertellen: bijzondere verhalen uit de Marinemodellenkamer van het Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam 2012
• D. Starkey, Royal river: power, pageantry & the Thames, London 2012

Related events

Improving accessibility for the blind and visually impaired is part of the inclusivity program of the Rijksmuseum. The 3D photography data resulting from this research project will be used to produce a model of the stern decoration, allowing this group to feel and experience the object.

Related projects

Marine Modellenkamer

Partners and Sponsors

This project is supported by the H.C.N. Munnig Schmidt Fonds/ Rijksmuseum Fonds.