Captured English Ships

Willem van de Velde the Younger painted this scene in 1666, capturing a moment of triumph for the Dutch navy. The vessels floating on the water are English ships seized during the Four Days' Battle, one of the longest sea battles in history, when the Dutch and English fleets fought a grueling clash for control of the seas. Here the captured ships are being brought home, their sails half rolled up, while tiny rowing boats scurry across the still water. Off to the right, a small burst of cannon smoke hints that the danger has not entirely passed.

Sea painting ran in the van de Velde family, and no wonder, since the Dutch of this era were completely devoted to the ocean. Their fortune and strength flowed from trade and naval power, so a picture like this honored both. What sets his work apart is his careful eye for detail. He watched real ships up close and sketched them out at sea, which is why the ropes, banners, and curves of each hull ring so true. The wide, cloud filled sky fills most of the canvas and lends the whole thing a calm mood, even though its subject is war.

A shining example of the Dutch Golden Age, this painting reflects a time when artists turned national pride into something worth hanging on a wall. Van de Velde was held in such high regard that he eventually crossed the Channel to England, where he worked for the English king, painting the same navy he had once shown in defeat.