Jacob Adriaensz. Bellevois Rotterdam 1621 - 1676

The Dutch flagship De Roode Leeuw of Vice-Admiral Laurens Jacobsz. Alteras (?-1622) is seen here, presumably just after arriving at the port of Gibraltar, as the canons are ready to fire a salute.  The subject is connected with a famous naval engagement, The Battle of Gibraltar, fought on 25 April 1607, in which the Dutch won their first sea victory in the 80-Year War, destroying the Spanish fleet, though losing their Admiral, Jacob van Heemskerck (1567-1607) who died in combat.  Alteras commanded the Zeeland squadron, and his flagship can also be seen in one of Cornelis Claesz. van Wieringen's several depictions of the Battle of Gibraltar, in the right foreground of a painting of 1622, in a Dutch private collection (see
J. Giltaij, in Lof der zeevaart, exhibition catalogue, Rotterdam, Museum Boymans van Beuningen, 1996, p. 108, no. 10, reproduced p. 109; for other pictures of this subject and more information about the Battle of Gibraltar, see ibid., pp.105-112).

Because of its importance in the war of liberation from Spain and the creation of the nascent Dutch state, this subject remained popular for many decades. It is thus not at all surprising that Bellevois should have painted this subject, probably half a century or more after the event depicted.