•D2432. Blue and White Marine Plaques

Octagonal blue and white plaque depicting two large vessels with red-accented Dutch flags hoisted, navigating across a very distinctive painted sea towards a harbor village, the sky shows birds in flight, the molded self- frame is decorated with a band of blue and white leaves alternating each other, the top affixed with a molded pediment pierced with a hole for suspension.

DIMENSIONS
Height: 22.3 cm. (8.8 in.)
Width: 25 cm. (9.8 in.)

PROVENANCE
Mme. A. Avonds Antiques, Mechelen

NOTE
In a maritime nation such as the Dutch Republic, all echelons of society abound with references to seafaring. In the estate inventories of individuals with diverse, non-maritime backgrounds, maritime scenes frequently emerge, described as ‘zeebatalje’, depicting a fierce naval encounter, or a ‘stormpie,’ referring to a naval scene amidst tempestuous seas.

The marine scene painted on this plaque, accentuated by red highlights in the Dutch flags, most likely draw inspiration from seventeenth-century Dutch tiles of a similar style. Within the realm of tiles, these examples constitute a rare and highly sought- after sub-group. While other Delft and Frisian blue and white plaques featuring marine scenes with colored flags are documented, the uniqueness of these plaques stands out. Despite the existence of numerous Dutch painted or printed naval scenes, the precise source print inspiring this particular plaque remains unidentified.