This may be a sketch for an intended painting. In the years around 1700 van de Velde and his studio produced a large number of highly dramatic paintings of ships being wrecked on a rocky coast, a subject which had attracted Dutch marine painters from the nearly part of the 17th century.

The drawing is inscribed top left where the clouds are broken 'b blau gebroken'; top right 'b' (blue); in the middle distance where the light is shining on the foam 'L' (light); and at the bottom 'het groetster light' (the greatest light). A ship with only her fore lower mast left standing, is depicted dragging on to a rocky coast on the right, a boat attempting to leave her. In the left distance a ship is trying to claw off the shore.

BHC0907 is an outstanding example of the kind of painting to which this drawing may relate. The drawing is unsigned.