The Breach of the Sint Anthonisdijk
by ASSELYN, Jan, Oil on canvas, 86 x 108 cm
This is a painted record of a dramatic historical event. On the night of 5-6 March 1651, strong north-westerly winds and a high spring tide caused the Sint Anthonisdijk to rupture in two places, flooding much of the city of Amsterdam. For the Italianate painter Jan Asselyn, this most Dutch of subjects is a great rarity.