The Model of a Screw Steamship from the Studio of Marine Painter Eduard van Heemskerck van Beest

The Rijksmuseum has a number of nineteenth-century ship models once owned by the former naval officer and marine painter Jacob Eduard van Heemskerck Beest (1828-1894). One them, model earliest generation screw steamships with sails, hybrid traditional sailing steamship, recently been restored. During restoration it was found to have generic characteristics but specific identification function (navy or merchant navy) not possible because lack details. There are, though, strong indications that must toy model. Given presence drive shaft screw, grease stains (lubrication?) removable funnel, seems there little steam engine in empty cavity gouged out block from which made. also lead keel, gave this stability needed. In normal model, keel would made wood. fact Heemskerck, who himself had spent short time navy, interested is obvious. It likely played role his studio creating maritime setting: as inspiration, examples for work put potential buyers paintings right mood. However, less they formed part Van Heemskerck’s carefully together collection seventeenth-century furniture, decorative pieces, two room panels he sold forerunner 1877. dating undistinguished quality mean are place acquired at time.