Coat of Arms for the Heemskerck Family.
1660. A period hand painting of the family coat of arms with details in Latin below. The name "Heemskerk" is remembered in Australia for one of the two ships on Abel Tasman's first voyage, when he skirted the southern shores of Tasmania, naming it Van Diemen's Land. He also sighted the South Island of New Zealand and entered the strait between the South and North Island.
The ship was likely named after Dutch explorer and admiral Jacob van Heemskerck. Heemskerck's early fame arose from an attempt to discover an Arctic passage from Europe to China. Two vessels sailed from Amsterdam on 10 May 1596, under the command of Heemskerck and Jan Rijp. Willem Barentsz accompanied Heemskerck as pilot, and Gerrit de Veer, the historian of the voyage, was on board as mate... Heemskerck later commanded several voyages to the East Indies, setting up trading posts on islands there... Heemskerck later served as a vice admiral, protecting Dutch merchant shipping on voyages to China and the Dutch East Indies and taking part in the second Dutch expedition to Indonesia...J. K. J. de Jonge described Heemskerck as "less of a rough sailor, more of a Drake or a Cavendish, a gentleman adventurer, somewhat proud and lofty, but polished and afraid of naught." When reproached by a factor in Madura for risking the company's property, Heemskerck responded, "Where we risk our lives, the gentlemen of the Company must risk their ships and cargoes." He knew how to inspire his men with a blind confidence in himself. When Heemskerck was on board a vessel, the sailors felt safe. A battle they termed a "Heemskerck fight". (adapted from Wikipedia)
Perhaps this is a relative of the admiral. Roughly translated, "Most noble and generous young man, Cornelius Franciscus from Heemskerck of (B)eke=stein. Free master of Incourt and Longeville. Perfect... in the pursuits of human affairs..." At the top of the sheet hidden by the mat are the Roman numerals for 1660 and the ink words. "Atteveld f - in 76" fine. Some ink text worn away, and some restoration around edges. Bright, colorful and lively images of the coat of arms' lions, bears, boars.
An entry on Ancestry.com states his name as Cornelis Francois Jonker Van Heemskerck Van Bekesteyn, b. 1632, d. 23 Jan 1714. He married 21 Apr 1672 Geertruid Van Rijsenborch (1645-1713). He is listed as lord of Incourt and Longueville, an area southeast of Brussels. They had a son Johan Jacob Ban Heemskerk Van Bekesteyn (b. 1675.) His parents are listed as Johan Van Heemskerk Van Beekestein & Geertruida Ruychrok Van De Werve.
17 1/2 x 12 1/2', gouache on paper. An old fold now flattened.
An unusual survival. Good + overall. Item #27739
Price: $950.00