The Apotheosis of Cornelis de Witt, with the Dutch Raid on the Medway in the background

The apotheosis of Cornelis de Witt, by J. de Baen, c. 1668. Cornelis de Witt (1623-1672) sailed with the Dutch fleet that attacked the English naval base at Chatham in June 1667 as representative of the States General. The artist has depicted the successful action in the background. In the foreground, De Witt is portrayed in fictitious dress. He is surrounded by attributes associated with war, such as a cannon and a suit of armour. To the right, a horn of plenty spills out at Cornelis's feet. An angel holds a victory wreath over his head, while Fame, floating above, sounds her trumpet. The frame is decorated with all kinds of weapons. Above: the arms of the city of Dordrecht, where Cornelis was burgomaster. Bottom: the coat of arms of the De Witt family. The painting is a replica of a larger work that originally hung in Dordrecht town hall. It was destroyed in 1672.