Herman af Sillén

The present catalogue number exhibits compositional similarities with a number of other paintings by Sillén depicting Swedish warships. However, this is a depiction of a German vessel. She flies the imperial naval ensign, and at the top of the mast flies the flag of an admiral. Most indications suggest that the depicted ship is a line ship (the British referred to the equivalent as a battleship) of the Wittelsbach class, which, in addition to the lead ship Wittelsbach, included Wettin, Zähringen, Schwaben, and Mecklenburg.

The ships were launched in 1900-1901 and were fully equipped between 1901 and 1903. They likely were not properly commissioned before 1904. Sillén's painting, which does not appear to be signed or dated, should therefore not have been created before 1904-1905, and likely later.

Bukowskis would like to thank Björn Marten (former Commander Swedish Navy, BA) for valuable information in connection with the cataloguing of this work.