Footnotes

• ドッガー・バンク海戦（1781年）図蒔絵銅製飾額　1790-1795年頃
  
  Provenance: a Dutch private collection.
  
  The Dutch inscription on the reverse translates: 'The end of the fight and the fleeing or the manoeuvring into the wind of the English on the Dogger Bank'.
  
  This is one of a series of lacquered copper plaques made for export, depicting scenes of cities around the world and famous battle scenes. While several series of plaques depicting the battle were produced, the present example is one of only four recorded plaques in this particular style depicting one of the stages of the battle between the Dutch and the British at the Dogger Bank, which took place on 5th August 1781. Another was sold at Christie's, London, 7th April 1997, lot 170.
  
  They are discussed at some length by Oliver Impey and Christiaan Jörg, Japanese Export Lacquer, 1580-1850, Hotei Publishing, Amsterdam, 2005, p.55, the example cited above illustrated on p.54, no.75. The plaques are varoiously described as being taken from prints by Mathias de Sallieth, after designs by J.F.Reitz (Impey and Jörg); or copied from engravings made by R Muys, after drawings by Engel Hoogerheyden (1740-1809).
  
  
  In December 1780, Great Britain declared war on the Dutch Republic, drawing it into the American War of Independence. The Dutch had, for some time, been supplying the Americans, by shipping French supplies in support of the American war effort. The hostilities meant that Britain's trade with the Baltic States was at risk and so the British increased their protection of merchant shipping in the North Sea. This partly entailed blockading the Dutch coast and intercepting any Dutch shipping entering or leaving Dutch ports. The battle which took place over the Dogger Bank in August 1781 was short-lived, as the British fleet was better prepared and defeated its opponents, although heavy casualties were sustained on both sides.