(21 Sept.) A few weeks ago Gillian and I went to the province of Zeeland, in the southwest of the Netherlands. We spent some time in Middelburg, the province's capital. We visited the Abbey, a complex of buildings in the town's centre that dates back to the Middle Ages and that since 1576 (and the eviction of the previous Catholic occupants) has been the centre of the provincial administration. Right now it also includes the Zeeuws Museum, the provincial museum.
Detail of 'The siege of Veere', May 1572. Two 'rebel' ships attacking a Spanish ship. The tapestry was designed by Hendrik Vroom in 1599, and woven in Middelburg.
The Zeeuws Museum houses a set of seven large tapestries that between 1593 and 1602 were commissioned by the provincial council of Zeeland to commemorate dramatic episodes in the early stages of the Eighty Years War (1658-1648), that led to the independence of the Netherlands from the Spanish. The tapestries were displayed in the Abbey from 1604. Most of the information below was taken from De tapijten van Zeeland, by Katie Heyning, 2007.
Detail of the 'Siege of Veere', showing fireships manoeuvred towards Spanish ships.I had long wanted to see the tapestries, but for some reason never came to do so. The tapestries are absolutely magnificent. The weaving is extremely fine, precise and detailed. Yes, the colours have somewhat faded, but the stories depicted in the tapestries, the people, the ships and their rigging, the human suffering, the flags and banners of the combatants, but also the scenery and the images of the sea in all its aspects, they all are reminiscent of the seascapes of Willem van de Velde (yes, he was born in 'my' Leiden, just like Rembrandt).
Large tapestries were widespread in western Europe in the 16th century and later, but also before. They were covering the walls of the large houses and palaces of the wealthy, but also of the prestigious rooms used by national, provincial and city councils. They could easily be transported, provided warmth to the sometimes draughty and cold walls, and presented the status, importance and history of the owner(s).
The tapestries now in the Zeeuws Museum depict a series of sea battles that were fought between 1572, when most of the Zeeland towns declared their independence from Spain, and 1576, when the Spanish troops and ships finally withdrew from the area, thereby giving up the mairtime access routes to the important harbour of Antwerp, still occupied by the Spanish.
Detail of the 'Battle at Lillo', in February 1573, showing a ship of the Dutch Protestants, with the orange-white-blue flag of the Prince of Orange. Design by Hendrik Vroom, woven in Middelburg.What makes these tapestries so special is that they were designed by craftsmen who actually visited the sites of the various battles and spoke with veterans of the war.
One of the artists designing the tapestries was Hendrik Vroom (1566-1640), who was born and lived in Haarlem, and who is generally regarded as the first of the Dutch and European maritime painters of the seventeenth century.
The tapestries were also unique in the sense that the designs and cartoons were returned to the commissioning committees after the completion of the work.
The first tapestry, depicting the battle in Bergen op Zoom in January 1574, was made in 1593-1595 by the tapissier, Francois Spierinck, in Delft. He was a particularly famous tapestry weaver; and while his workshop was working on the first of the Zeeland tapestries, they were also weaving the set of ten Armada tapestries commissioned in 1591 by the British admiral, Howard of Effingham (destroyed during the Great Fire of the Houses of Parliament in London in 1834). These tapestries were also designed by Hendrik Vroom (who actually visited London to see 'his' tapestries after they had been displayed in the British capital ).
Detail of 'The siege of Zierikzee', 1576. Spanish soldiers are hiding behind gabions and firing at their opponents. Design by Hendrik Vroom, woven in Middelburg in 1599.After the completion of the first Zeeland tapestry, a further six tapestries were commissioned and these were woven by a Middelburg tapissier, Jan de Maecht (and after his death by his son), in an effort by the provincial council to promote local crafts and industry.
The other tapestries depict the siege of Veere (May 1572); the battle at Lillo (February 1573); the battle at Rammekens (June 1572); and the siege of Zierikzee (April 1575).
The last tapestry includes the coat-of-arms of Zeeland (and its motto: Luctor et Emergo) and of the major Zeeland towns, and a portrait of Willem of Orange.
In all, the tapestries are absolutely marvellous, with a wealth of details. They show how sea battles were fought, how towns were besieged, how ships were navigating the treacherous waters of Zeeland. Well worth a visit.
Willem Vogelsang, 21 September 2022
