A Dutch two-decker in a breeze

A near weather bow view of a ship, with the wind on the starboard quarter, under fore course, mizzen and topsails with the main course loosed in the brails.

This is a pencil drawing by the Younger, signed in dark brown ink, ‘W.V.VJ’. According to Robinson, this drawing is freely but accurately done. It has been approximately dated by the subject and signature, but the style and paper suggest it might be later. Two paintings of Dutch shipping are known, which were painted in London in 1673. The Van de Veldes clearly found a market for their Dutch scenes even during the war with Holland, so that drawings cannot be assigned to the Dutch or English periods by the subject alone.

Object Details

ID: PAF6548
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Velde, Willem van de, the Younger
Date made: 1672?
People: Velde, Willem van de, the Younger
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Primary support: 379 mm x 269 mm; Mount: 559 mm x 406 mm