Model of a Ship’s Caisson

anonymous, c. 1802 - c. 1804

A dry dock is a repair yard for ships. For this purpose, a basin is closed off from the open water by means of a kind of lock gate: a caisson, or bateau-porte. Naval architect Glavimans designed a floating version of this structure. The wooden caisson was towed into the dock opening. Water was then pumped into the caisson so that it sank into the dock opening, fitting it exactly. Finally, the dock was drained and repairs to the ship’s hull could begin.

  • Artwork typepresentation model
  • Object numberNG-MC-13
  • Dimensionsheight 45 cm x width 86 cm x depth 36 cm
  • Physical characteristicswood and brass

Identification

  • Title(s)

    • Model of a Ship’s Caisson
    • Model of a Caisson

  • Object type

  • Object number

    NG-MC-13

  • Description

    Spantmodel van een schipdeur met dubbele kiel, de huid weggelaten. Twee niveaus, voor de helft van vloerdelen voorzien; de delen van het bovenste dek kunnen weggehaald worden. Op het bovenste dek twee pompen en het windwerktuig van de spui, die aan een zijde onder is aangebracht.

  • Inscriptions / marks

    label, top centre: ‘13’ former inventory label

  • Part of catalogue

Creation

  • Creation

    • model maker: anonymous, Netherlands
    • after design by Pieter Glavimans, Netherlands

  • Dating

    c. 1802 - c. 1804

  • Search further with

Material and technique

  • Physical description

    wood and brass

  • Dimensions

    height 45 cm x width 86 cm x depth 36 cm

Explanatory note

  • In de jaren 1801-1804 heeft Glavimans verschillende ontwerpen van schipdeuren voor het droogdok van Hellevoetsluis gemaakt, waarvan dit model er één voorstelt.

This work is about

  • Subject

Exhibitions

Acquisition and rights

  • Copyright

    Public domain

  • Provenance

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

Documentation

Persistent URL

Questions?

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  • Model of a Ship’s Caisson
  • Model of a Ship’s Caisson
  • Model of a Ship’s Caisson
  • Model of a Ship’s Caisson

anonymous

Model of a Caisson

Netherlands, Netherlands, c. 1802 - c. 1804

Inscriptions

  • label, top centre:13 former inventory label

Conservation

  • Ab Hoving, januari 2012: revarnished

Provenance

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

Object number: NG-MC-13

Entry

Wooden frame model of a double-keeled caisson for a dry dock with the planking left off.

The caisson has two decks, planked over half their width; the upper deck planking can be removed. Two pumps are installed on the upper deck. The flood gate or paddle is operated by a crank on the upper deck.

Pieter Glavimans (1755-1820) made several designs of caissons for the dry dock at Hellevoetsluis from 1801 to 1804.1Rotterdam, Maritiem Museum, inv. nos. T2256a, b, d. This model shows one of his designs.

Literature

P. Glavimans, Kort verslag wegens een ontwerp van eene Bateau-Porte, of Schip-Deur, s.l. s.a., app. 3 of the 25th meeting of the Commissie ter Executie der sluis- en dokwerken te Hellevoetsluis, manuscript in HNA 2.01.29.01 Dept. Marine, inv. no. 463; J.M. Obreen, Catalogus der verzameling modellen van het Departement van Marine, The Hague 1858, no. 13; R.M. Haubourdin et al., De physique existentie dezes lands. Jan Blanken, inspecteur-generaal van de waterstaat (1755-1838), exh. cat. Amsterdam (Rijksmuseum) 1987, pp. 179-81, no. 66; M. Marzari, Progetti per l’imperatore. Andrea Salvini ingegnere a l’arsenal 1802-1817, Trieste 1990, pp. 58-59, pl. VII

Citation

J. van der Vliet, 2016, 'anonymous, Model of a Caisson, Netherlands, c. 1802 - c. 1804', in J. van der Vliet and A. Lemmers (eds.), Navy Models in the Rijksmuseum, online coll. cat. Amsterdam: https://data.rijksmuseum.nl/20053175

(accessed 4 April 2026 17:58:22).

Footnotes

  • 1Rotterdam, Maritiem Museum, inv. nos. T2256a, b, d.