Lot 21: Studio of Jacob Knyff (Haarlem 1638-1681 London) The arrival of Queen Mary in the royal yacht Mary (II) at Greenwich on 12th February 1689,

The arrival of Queen Mary in the royal yacht Mary (II) at Greenwich on 12th February 1689, with the King's House and the Royal Observatory beyond
oil on canvas
63.2 x 76.6cm (24 7/8 x 30 3/16in).

The royal yacht Mary (II) replaced an earlier yacht of the same name which was lost at sea in 1675. Designed by Sir Phineas Pett and built at Chatham in 1677, the second Mary was measured at 155 tons burden, mounted 8-3pdr. cannon and was crewed by 30 officers and men. The new yacht was named in honour of Charles II's niece, Mary, the daughter of his brother James, Duke of York, and her first official function was to carry the same Princess Mary and her new husband, William, Prince of Orange, back to Holland following their wedding at Whitehall on 4th November 1677. Twelve years later, Admiral Herbert was despatched in the Mary to bring her namesake back to England as Queen after her father, James II, had abdicated and fled his country in December 1688. The new Queen landed at Greenwich on 12th February 1689, and she and her husband were proclaimed joint sovereigns in London the next day.

Although undated, this painting must have been executed circa 1688-92 and it has been suggested that it commemorates the arrival of the new Queen Mary at Greenwich on 12th February 1689 in order to assume the throne. This hypothesis is further strengthened by the work's inclusion of a large first rate man-o'war saluting the royal yacht from her station in the Thames. Even though the principal fleet anchorage at this period was at the Nore, off the entrance to the Medway, the appearance of a first rate as far up the river as Greenwich would have been regarded as extremely unusual and would only have been authorised for some very specific duty such as a royal event.

We are grateful to Mr Michael Naxton for his kind assistance with this catalogue entry.