Public domain
Bust of Piet Heyn
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
Piet Heyn became a seaman at a young age. When he was fifteen years old, he was taken prisoner by the Spanish and made to serve two years as a galley slave. After his release, Heyn pursued a career in the merchant marine: he held high-ranking positions in the Dutch West India Company. In 1628 he captured a Spanish treasure fleet (known as the 'Silver Fleet') off the coast of Cuba. A year later he perished at sea.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionCredit lineBorstbeeld van Piet Heyn. 1636. Hendrick de Keyser (II). Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
