An English flagship before the wind under easy sail

A starboard view of a ship on the left of the page is balanced on the right by three ships at anchor receding into the right distance. Characteristically this drawing combines compositional experiment with the accurate observation of rigging and other maritime details, depicting the larger vessel on the right before the wind under fore topsail, with main topsail half hoisted and fore course loosed in the brails.

Object Details

ID: PAE5272
Collection: Fine art
Type: Drawing
Display location: Not on display
Creator: Velde, Willem van de, the Younger
Date made: 1675?
Credit: National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, London
Measurements: Primary support: 143 mm x 271 mm; Mount: 316 mm x 480 mm