1-152-932 - Ann Ronan Picture Library/Heritage-Images

Ships of Willem Barents' expedition to the Arctic, 1596. Barents (d 1597) was a Dutch navigator who led expeditions in 1594, 1595 and 1596-1597 in search of a Northeast Passage to Asia. None of the expeditions succeeded in finding an open route to the Far East, and on the third voyage Barents' ship became trapped in the ice, forcing the crew to remain in the Arctic over the winter. The ship was not released by the ice as soon as expected in the spring, and the crew made their escape in open boats, setting off on 13 June 1597. Most returned home safely, but Barents himself died on 30 June. This illustration shows Barents' ship and the vessel commanded by Jan Corneliszoon Rijp parting in July 1596, Barents heading east towards Novaya Zemlya and Rijp sailing north to Spitzbergen.