anonymous

Half Model of a 32-Gun Frigate

Netherlands, c. 1800

Inscriptions

  • inscription, top, on eight oval labels:Pallas / 1781 // Kenau Hasselaar / 1800 // M. van / Reijgersbergen / 1800 // Proserpina / 1801 // Euredice / 1801 // Orpheus / 1802 // Irerene / 1803 // FRIESLAND / à 32 St. / GB: 1808.
  • label, bottom right: paper scale in Amsterdam feet
  • label, bottom right:313 former inventory label

Conservation

  • Ab Hoving, september 2008: woodworm treatment

Provenance

...; transferred from the Ministerie van Marine (Department of the Navy), The Hague, to the museum, 1883

ObjectNumber: NG-MC-313

Entry

Polychromed wooden half bracket model of the starboard side of a three-masted ship, mounted on a rectangular wooden backboard painted a light blue.

The side of the ship is depicted by ribbands attached to frame moulds. The side above the wale is planked. Thirteen pierced gun ports are situated on one continuous deck, plus one on the counter. The sheer rises slightly towards both ends. Two wales and a sheer rail are indicated, both wales are painted black. The bow features an empty beakhead with two cheeks positioned directly on the beakhead, and a bollard timber. The stern has a round tuck and a hollow counter. The taffrail is closed, but shows no further details. The model does not have galleries. Below the stern a straight, square-headed rudder is indicated. The hull is S-bottomed and painted white below the waterline. The position of three masts and the bowsprit is shown in a truncated form.

A large number of 32-gun frigates were built according to this apparently rather successful design: Pallas (1781), Diana (1804-05, renamed Kenau Hasselaar, decommissioned in 1828 and broken up in 1841), Maria Reigersbergen (1807-08, broken up in 1842), Proserpina (1801), Euridice (1801-02, broken up in 1847), Orpheus (1802), Irene (1803) and Friesland (1808).1J.M. Obreen, Catalogus der verzameling modellen van het Departement van Marine, The Hague 1858, no. 313; A.J. Vermeulen, De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine en die der gouvernementsmarine 1814-1962, The Hague 1962, pp. 9-10.

Scale (on model) approx. 1:40.

Literature

J.M. Obreen, Catalogus der verzameling modellen van het Departement van Marine, The Hague 1858, no. 313; A.J. Vermeulen, De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine en die der gouvernementsmarine 1814-1962, The Hague 1962, pp. 9-10; R.M. Haubourdin et al., De physique existentie dezes lands. Jan Blanken, inspecteur-generaal van de waterstaat (1755-1838), exh. cat. Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum) 1987 1987, no. 69

Citation

J. van der Vliet, 2016, 'anonymous, Half Model of a 32-Gun Frigate, Netherlands, c. 1800', in J. van der Vliet and A. Lemmers (eds.), Navy Models in the Rijksmuseum, online coll. cat. Amsterdam: hdl.handle.net/10934/RM0001.COLLECT.244122

(accessed 21 June 2025 04:17:05).

Footnotes

  • 1J.M. Obreen, Catalogus der verzameling modellen van het Departement van Marine, The Hague 1858, no. 313; A.J. Vermeulen, De schepen van de Koninklijke Marine en die der gouvernementsmarine 1814-1962, The Hague 1962, pp. 9-10.