Possibly a portrait of the 40-guns ‘St Paulus’, north Quarter. On the tafferel is a full-length figure of a man with a book in the left hand and what appears to be a snake coiled round the right arm. At his feet are two winged dragons. Two lions are on the rail above. On the counter is what may be the view of a town.

It is accurately carried out in light pencil and wash, probably based on an offset, but so far as can be seen, not in reverse. It is approximately dated with the watermark and subject.

The ‘St Paulus’ was an Indiaman taken into service in 1665 and was captured and burnt the same year. There was another ship called ‘St Paulus’ in service in 1665; she was also an Indiaman of 40 guns, belonging to the Admiralty of Zeeland. She was captured by the English in 1665 and burnt by the Dutch in 1666.