Evertsen-class frigate – after Johan Conrad Greive, c. 1860

“Z.M. Stoomfregat Evertsen”. Colour lithograph made by Ruurt de Vries (1813–1874) after a design by Johan Conrad Greive (1837–1891), published in Amsterdam by Frans Buffa around 1860. Size (image) 34.5 x 50.5 cm (including text: 42.5 x 52 cm).

We see the steam frigate Evertsen in the port of Antwerp, with the Citadel visible in the background on the right.

The ships of the Evertsen class were heavy frigates with auxiliary steam power. The primary goal of the designers of these ships was to create a steam-powered vessel capable of firing a full broadside — meaning all the cannons on one side could be fired simultaneously. This led to screw frigates that were essentially slightly longer versions of their wind-powered counterparts, with the added length used for the engine installation and coal storage. Even so, it proved difficult to achieve a broadside that matched the power and effectiveness of traditional sailing frigates. Weight had to be saved on the engines and coal storage, and therefore these ships were intended to use their engines only in battle and emergencies, and to sail under wind power the rest of the time.

The steam frigate was a symbol of 19th-century technological progress. Johan Conrad Greive depicted the ship with great precision, emphasizing its imposing size. In reality, however, the steam frigate had serious flaws, and it was expected that it would be lost in the first major storm. The ship, launched in 1857, would later serve as a barracks ship.

Price: Euro 975,-