Portrait of a French two-decker. Built in Holland 1666-1667, c.1667 (graphite, grey wash)

Creator: Willem van de Velde, the Younger A French two-decker shown from the starboard quarter with, on the broadside thirteen guns on the gundeck, thirteen on the upper deck, two on the forecastle, five on the quarterdeck and two on the poop. The tafferel bears the crowned arms of France and Navarre, three fleurs-de-lis impaled with a chain design, surrounded by the emblems of the Orders of St Michael and the Saint Esprit. Two angel supporters face the front and there are eight small windows below with draped seated figures at their lower outer corners. On the rail above is a female figure seated amid arms and trophies resting her left hand on the hilt of a long sword. Both figures above the quarter galleries have plumed hats. The tafferel is very similar to that of the Dutch 'Gouda' (PAH1818). This is an offset or tracing rubbed on the back and not in reverse, from an accurate original, probably by the Elder, but worked up in wash by the Younger. In September 1665 the French government was authorized to buy ten ships in Holland, though only six were probably delivered with two more being built in Denmark. As there are rather more van de Velde drawings than ships with French emblematic decoration, Robinson suggests some may be designs or purely imaginary. This is one of three drawings in the NMM (PAJ2423 and PAI7264) of Dutch-built French ships in which both van de Veldes had a hand. It has been approximately dated by the subject and watermark. There is an offset (in reverse) from the same original in the Boymans Museum, Rotterdam (no. 137