The Battle of the Texel, 11-21 August 1673, late 17th century - early 18th century...

Creator: Willem Van de Velde, the Younger The Battle of Texel was the last battle of the Third Anglo-Dutch War, 1672-74, between the Dutch on one side and the English and French on the other. It represented the final attempt by the Allies to destroy the Dutch fleet and leave the coast free for an invasion of Holland from the sea. The initial superiority of numbers enjoyed by the allies was neutralised by the French whose fleet wished to take very little part in the fighting. Aware of the French reluctance, the Dutch admiral De Ruyter concentrated on the English squadrons, but after a day of fierce action no major unit was taken or destroyed on either side. Originally thought to show the battle of Solebay, the painting focuses on the defence of the ‘Prince’. In the left foreground, is the Dutch Lieutenant-Admiral Cornelis Tromp’s ship probably the 'Comeestar'. Since Tromp transferred ship during the action from the 'Gouden Leeuw', 80 guns, it is not possible to be certain. His double-prince flag is shown at the main. Behind the flagship is a disabled Dutch ship with a shield on her stern visible and showing five or six diagonal stripes with lion supporters. In the centre of the picture is the 'Royal Prince' of Admiral Sir Edward Spragge. The battle is shown focused on her defence against Tromp's repeated attacks with gunfire and fireships. Beyond the 'Royal Prince' is the English 'St Andrew’, erroneously flying a Dutch flag, instead of the Union jack and the plain blue flag of the ‘St Andrew’. In the foreground is a floating barrel and the wreckage of a mast with figures clinging to it and, to the right, a ship's barge rescuing people from another sinking barge. In the right corner three men are shown clinging to a small piece of wreckage. In the right foreground there is a Dutch ship, with her fore topmast and mizzen mast missing, her ensign staff broken and the ensign falling overboard. She is probably the 'Wapen van Holland', commanded by Matthijs Diksz Pijl and part of Tromp's squadron. Close by on her starboard side is a galliot picking up people from the sinking ship. Ahead of this ship and of the 'Prince' is a Dutch fireship in flames, probably intentionally sent to burn the 'Prince'. In the distance showing through and above the smoke of battle are a number of ships, both Dutch and English. The sky is infused with the golden glow of a sunset, with clouds parting in the centre of the canvas. The smoke rising from the burning ships rises up to mingle with the clouds. It is signed ‘’W.V.Velde f(ecit)’.