I’m on my maritime painting spree right now, and as far as 17th century paintings go, this is one of the most dramatic I’ve seen. Paintings like these make me wish I knew more about history to understand how the battle this painting shows fits into events that led us to the current state of the world. Might be something to consider adding to the prompt in the future.

(view the full sized image here)

I gave identifying info about this work to Perplexity with the instructions to research it and tell me all the interesting things it could about the work. Here’s what we got:

A Scene of Maritime Apocalypse

Against a backdrop of churning waters and battle smoke, the massive English flagship Royal James dominates the right side of the canvas, her torn topsails catching what little wind there is as flames from the Dutch fireship Vrede consume her bow. Men leap desperately from the rigging and throw themselves into the roiling sea, while others cling to whatever safety they can find as fire spreads across their once-mighty vessel. In the left foreground, another Dutch ship sinks slowly, only her foremast and bowsprit visible above the water — a fireship that had already expended itself in the deadly dance of destruction.

The composition draws the eye inexorably to the central tragedy: Admiral Edward Montagu, 1st Earl of Sandwich, trapped aboard his burning flagship as the Dutch fireship Vrede, commanded by the brave Jan van de Rijn, grapples onto the English vessel and sets her ablaze. The painting captures the precise moment when honor and desperation collide — Sandwich's blue flag still flies defiantly from the main mast even as his men abandon ship.

The Disaster Year That Changed Everything

The year 1672 — known in Dutch history as the Rampjaar or "Disaster Year" — began with the Dutch Republic seemingly facing annihilation. Louis XIV of France had orchestrated a masterful diplomatic coup through the secret Treaty of Dover in 1670, convincing Charles II of England to join him in a coordinated assault on the wealthy Dutch Republic. The Dutch faced a nightmare scenario: French armies pouring across their borders while an Anglo-French fleet prepared to land troops on their coast, bypassing the famous water defenses that had protected the Netherlands for generations.

But on this May morning in 1672, the tables turned spectacularly. The Dutch fleet under the legendary Admiral Michiel de Ruyter had surprised the Anglo-French fleet anchored in Solebay (now Southwold Bay) off the Suffolk coast. What should have been a safe harbor became a trap, as Sandwich had warned the Duke of York the night before — but his prescient advice went unheeded.

The Artist's Revolutionary Collaboration

Willem van de Velde the Younger created this masterpiece not as a solitary genius but as part of an extraordinary father-son artistic partnership that would revolutionize marine painting. Born in Leiden in 1633, Willem had trained first under his father and then under the renowned marine painter Simon de Vlieger, whose atmospheric seascapes taught him to capture both the serenity and violence of the sea.

The painting itself was executed using the van de Veldes' innovative collaborative technique: Willem the Elder would create detailed ink drawings of naval battles and events, while his more accomplished son would transform these monochromatic studies into vivid oil paintings. This partnership became so successful that King Charles II hired both men at the generous salary of £100 per year each — the father "for taking and making draughts of sea-fights" and the son "for putting the said Draughts into Colours".

Greenwich: The Birthplace of English Marine Art

The van de Veldes worked from their studio in the Queen's House at Greenwich, a space that became the beating heart of English marine painting. This wasn't merely a workspace but a revolutionary art factory where the two men transformed naval documentation into high art. The Queen's House provided them with both the physical space for their monumental works and direct access to the royal dockyards at Deptford, Woolwich, and Chatham — an endless source of maritime subjects.

The painting technique itself was groundbreaking. Van de Velde the Younger painted on canvas measuring 1067 x 1537 mm, using oil paints to create luminous effects that captured both the terror and grandeur of naval warfare. His signature appears twice on the work: "W.V.Velde J" on the back of the canvas and "W.V.Velde" painted on a spar within the composition itself.

The Fatal Dance of Fire and Water

The painting's dramatic power lies in its depiction of the fireship attack — a terrifying 17th-century naval tactic where vessels were deliberately set ablaze and sailed into enemy ships. The Vrede, under Jan van de Rijn's command, had successfully evaded the Royal James's defensive fire and grappled onto the English flagship. In the foreground, we see the fireship's crew escaping in a small boat, having completed their suicidal mission.

The tragic irony wasn't lost on contemporaries: Edward Montagu had opposed this war and reportedly told his friend John Evelyn before sailing that "he would see him no more". When the Royal James became engulfed in flames, Sandwich attempted to escape by boat, but it was swamped by desperate sailors, and he drowned along with hundreds of his men. His body was found a week later, unmarked but for the clothing that identified him — he had simply drowned in the chaos.

A Strategic Victory Disguised as Tactical Draw

While the battle ended without clear victory, its strategic implications were enormous. The Dutch had prevented the planned Anglo-French invasion of their homeland and bought precious time for their water defenses to be organized. More importantly, the battle demonstrated to European powers that the Dutch Republic — despite facing the combined might of France and England — could still strike back effectively at sea.

The painting serves as both historical document and artistic triumph, capturing a moment when individual heroism and national survival intersected in the most dramatic way possible. Van de Velde's work transforms a military disaster into a meditation on courage, mortality, and the terrible beauty of war at sea.

The Master Behind the Masterpiece

Willem van de Velde the Younger's artistic journey from peaceful harbor scenes to dramatic battle paintings reflected the turbulent times in which he lived. His early works from the 1650s featured clusters of boats anchored in calm waters, emphasizing the silvery tones he learned from Simon de Vlieger. But his move to England in 1672 — ironically, the same year as the battle he would immortalize — transformed his artistic vision toward depicting royal yachts, men-of-war, and storm scenes.

After his father's death in 1693, Willem the Younger continued to run their influential Greenwich studio with numerous assistants and apprentices, including his own sons Willem III and Cornelis van de Velde. His influence on English marine painting would last well into the 18th century, with artists like Peter Monamy carrying forward the Dutch tradition he had established.

The van de Velde legacy represents more than artistic achievement — it embodies the cultural transfer that occurred when the Dutch Golden Age's artistic innovations found new soil in Restoration England, creating a hybrid tradition that would influence maritime art for generations to come.

And that's it!

If you have any details you think Perplexity left out, reply to this email and I'll adjust my prompt to nudge it to include it next time.

This blog was part of my daily newsletter. You can subscribe to it here.

Thanks for reading!

-JP

Current prompt: I want you to create a newsletter post describing the fun and exciting stories around a painting. It should be a newsletter read for leisure and should be an enjoyable read (not just a list of facts) here's what you’re gonna do: Find the name of the following painting in its original language and any alternative names it goes by. Then Research the painting and give me blurb telling me all you can about the artist, the historical context/events it was created in, the style, the materials used, the composition and visual elements, the story/underlying message, what inspired the work/what it meant to the author, and whatever other info you find that helps give a complete understanding of the work. A description of what is depicted (mention subjects) should be the first thing, while the “biography” of the artist should be last. if the work has a lot of meaning behind it, then that is what the meat of the newsletter should be. Besides that you are free to present the information in a concise and captivating way, with the most interesting and novel stuff closest to the top. Order the presentation of information for which pieces have the most compelling and interesting story to tell. At least some of the description should be formatted like a story. [for example: a couple sits on a bench watching the sunset while a man next to them…]. ONLY include information that is for THIS SPECIFIC PAINTING. you will find info on paintings similar to this one but NOT this one. OMMIT INFO ABOUT SUCH PIECES. remember, the goal is to make the most compelling, intriguing, and fun to read newsletter as possible, so keep that above all else.