The picture shows the number and types of vessels in the Venetian fleet, with well over 100 individual vessels depicted in starboard-broadside view, several accompanied with captions explaining their type or rank (e.g. “Fregate”, “Gallia Grossa”, or “Proveditor General”). The principle ship is entitled “Galion de S. Marco” and is in the centre of the picture.

Inscribed: “Al Sermo Francesco Maria II feltrio della Rovere Duca d’Urbino (i.e. “To the Most Serene Francesco Maria II [Monte]feltro della Rovere, Duke of Urbino") | Giacomo Franco DD | 1619” (top left, surmounting the Duke’s coat of arms); (top) “Armada Venetiana”, and (bottom) “Giacomo Franco fece in Frezaria al Sol" (i.e. “Giacomo Franco made this in the [Venetian artisanal district of the Frezzaria, at the sign of the]… sun”).