The Battle of Solebay, 7 June 1672

This 1673 version of the Battle of Solebay, held at the Landesmuseum Hannover, was painted only a year after the engagement itself and reflects Van de Velde's immediate processing of his eyewitness material. Solebay was fought on 7 June 1672 when a Dutch fleet under De Ruyter surprised an Anglo-French fleet at anchor in Southwold Bay. The battle ended inconclusively but with significant Anglo-French losses including the flagship Royal James. German princely collections acquired Dutch marine paintings with enthusiasm throughout the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, and the Hannoverian court was among the most systematic collectors of this material. Painting the battle just one year later, Van de Velde was working from fresh memories, fresh drawings, and the immediate demand of patrons who had followed the war in the press. His Solebay compositions vary across different versions, suggesting he continued to refine his understanding of the action's geography over multiple recensions.

Canvas with a complex arrangement of multiple ships in different states of engagement or damage. Smoke fills the middle register, creating a visual barrier that divides the clearly legible foreground ships from the confused background action — an accurate representation of how battle actually looked. Colour is subordinated to tone throughout, with warm fire-light accents punctuating a predominantly cool, smoky palette.