Public domain
The Explosion of Gunboat nr 2, under Command of Jan van Speyk, off Antwerp, 5 February 1831
From the collection of Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Free to download, adapt and use — no permission needed.
About this work
The explosion of Dutch Gunboat No. 2 under command of Jan van Speyk on the Scheldt at Antwerp, 5 February 1831, by M. Schouman, 1832. To avoid falling in Belgian hands Van Speyk blew up his own ship. In Holland this created a sensation. There was a massive demand for pictures. Many different artists portrayed the event. Rather than show the dramatic moment when Van Speyk set the powder alight, Schouman portrayed the fatal result.
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam’s own descriptionSubjects
Credit lineThe Explosion of Gunboat nr 2, under Command of Jan van Speyk, off Antwerp, 5 February 1831. 1832. Martinus Schouman. Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam. Public domain.
