Oil painting, 'The Prince of Orange, afterwards King William III, Embarking at Hellevoetsluis for England in 1688', Everhardus Koster, before 1859

The Dutch fleet composed of many war-of-man ships, states ship and wherries on a calm sea, is setting out for England on a calm sea, under a cloudy sky, bathed in the sunlight's golden glow.

Given by Baron de Ferrières

Given by Baron de Ferrières, 1876

Historical significance: This painting shows the Dutch fleet embarking for England under a wide, cloudy sky. It depicts the embarkation of the Dutch fleet for England, where English opponents of James II had invited William, Prince of Orange, to dethrone the king. The Dutch fleet landed at Brixham on 5 November 1688 and William was proclaimed King William III in 1689. This work is a pendant wto 377-1876, which relates to the final defeat of James II in 1691.The treatment of the composition, as well as its subject matter, points back to the great Dutch Marine painters of the 17th century, especially such artists as Willem van de Velde the elder (1611-1693) and younger (1633-1707). Everhardus Koster was inspired by such works as Van de Velde the Younger's The Ij in Amsterdam with the Golden lion, the former flagship of Cornelis Tromp, Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam (SK-C-7) and Dutch fleet in action, Courtauld Institute, London (D.1952.RW.1268). However, no earlier works have been identified as models for the present painting.

Everhardus Koster (1817-1892) was born in The Hague, where he was a pupil of Bartholomeus Johannes van Hove (1790-1880) before moving to Frankfurt. He settled in Amsterdam in 1848, but after the loss of his right eye in 1859, it became increasingly difficult for him to paint. He subsequently became a curator at the Museum of Modern Art, Haarlem, of which he became director in 1876. He had a number of pupils, among which Jan Adam Kruseman (1804-1862), Jan Theodoor Kruseman (1835-1895), and Alida Elisabeth van Stolk (1830-ca. 1884). He enjoyed considerable success as a painter and print maker.

This work and its pendant no.377-1876 were given to the Museum in 1876 by Baron Charles de Ferrieres (1823-1908). Born in the Netherlands to a family of Huguenot origin and an English mother, he was naturalised as a British citizen and succeded to his title in the Dutch peerage in 1867. He was made mayor of Cheltenham in 1877 and in 1880 elected its Liberal M.P., holding the seat until 1885. He is best remembered for his gift to Cheltenham of its art gallery and paintings from his father's collection. In view of his own Anglo-Dutch parentage and adopted British nationality, it is likely that he commissioned these large history paintings from Everhardus Koster. His decision to give them to the South Kensington Museum was perhaps motivated by the fact that his wife Anne Sheepshanks (1823-1909) was a niece of John Sheepshanks (1787-1863), who had founded the museum's paintings collection in 1857.

The great tradition of the Golden Age constituted a real burden for Dutch painters in the 19th century, and many continued to paint in the style of the masters of the 17th century. 19th-century Dutch paintings were popular with British collectors, including James Staats Forbes (1823-1904), Alexander Young and Sir John Charles Frederic Sigismund Day (1826-1908).

Everhardus Koster (1817-1892) was a Dutch painter and a printmaker born in The Hague where he was a pupil of Bartholomeus Johannes van Hove (1790-1880) before going to Frankfurt. He settled in Amsterdam in 1848 but after the loss of his right eye in 1859, it became more and more difficult for him to paint. He was subsequently a curator in the Museum of Modern Art, Haarlem, of which he became director in 1876. He had a number of pupils among whom Jan Adam Kruseman (1804-1862), Jan Theodoor Kruseman (1835-1895), Alida Elisabeth van Stolk (1830-ca. 1884).

This painting is a good example of Everhardus Koster's large output of river views and seascapes. The subject matter relates to the embarking of the Dutch Prince of Orange William III, during the 'Glorious Revolution' which deposed his father-in-law, the Catholic King James II. The large format and the compositional idea go back to the great tradition of marine paintings during the 17th century that recorded the great battles conducted by the Netherlands. It is a pendant to 377-1876.

376-1876