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Lot Essay
This impressive oval mirror embodies the characteristics of naval warfare, Minerva’s plumed helmet, symbolising defence, applied with a lion’s head, the embodiment of power, wisdom and justice, the anchors representing hope, and other seafaring and military trophies such as the ships rigging, scallop shells, conjuring up the waters in which they were formed, swords and ships cannons.
It was almost certainly made to commemorate the successful outcome of the Nine Years' War (1688–97), a major war of the late 17th century fought between the Grand Alliance, a coalition led by the Anglo-Dutch Stadtholder/King William III of England (d. 1702), including the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, King Charles II of Spain, Victor Amadeus II of Savoy, and the major and minor princes of the Holy Roman Empire against King Louis XIV of France. Although primarily a land battle, fighting extended to the sea, and by the end of the war England’s fleet had almost tripled in size to dominate other European naval forces. The war culminated in the Treaty of Ryswick (1697) whereby Louis XIV agreed to recognize William III as King of England, give up his attempts to control Cologne and the Palatinate, end French occupation of Lorraine, and restore Luxembourg, Mons, Courtrai, and Barcelona to Spain. The Dutch were allowed to garrison a series of fortresses in the Spanish Netherlands as a barrier against France. Strasburg and some towns of Lower Alsace were the only acquisitions made since the Treaty of Nijmegen that France retained.
It was almost certainly made to commemorate the successful outcome of the Nine Years' War (1688–97), a major war of the late 17th century fought between the Grand Alliance, a coalition led by the Anglo-Dutch Stadtholder/King William III of England (d. 1702), including the Holy Roman Emperor Leopold I, King Charles II of Spain, Victor Amadeus II of Savoy, and the major and minor princes of the Holy Roman Empire against King Louis XIV of France. Although primarily a land battle, fighting extended to the sea, and by the end of the war England’s fleet had almost tripled in size to dominate other European naval forces. The war culminated in the Treaty of Ryswick (1697) whereby Louis XIV agreed to recognize William III as King of England, give up his attempts to control Cologne and the Palatinate, end French occupation of Lorraine, and restore Luxembourg, Mons, Courtrai, and Barcelona to Spain. The Dutch were allowed to garrison a series of fortresses in the Spanish Netherlands as a barrier against France. Strasburg and some towns of Lower Alsace were the only acquisitions made since the Treaty of Nijmegen that France retained.