Jan Bart valt twee Engelse schepen aan, 1689 1806

Yves Marie Le Gouaz made this engraving of Jan Bart attacking two English ships sometime around the turn of the 19th century. It depicts an event that happened a hundred years prior. Prints like these served as both historical records and powerful tools for shaping public opinion. France and England were engaged in numerous naval conflicts at the time, so images of French naval heroes boosted national pride and legitimized military spending. Le Gouaz’s print valorizes Jan Bart’s aggressive tactics, framing them as necessary for protecting the fleet, even though the scene is one of active engagement. To understand the full story, you might consult naval records, period newspapers, and biographical accounts of Jan Bart. These resources can provide insight into the strategic and political context of the depicted battle. It is important to understand that historical narratives, like this one, are always contingent on the social and institutional context in which they are created and circulated.