The Four Days Battle, 1666

Held at the Ferens Art Gallery in Hull, this undated canvas by van de Velde the Younger depicting the Four Days' Battle of 1666 commemorates the longest fleet engagement in naval history — four days of fighting from 1 to 4 June 1666 between the Dutch fleet under De Ruyter and the English fleet under Monck and Rupert. The battle resulted in a significant English defeat, with the loss of the Royal Prince and significant damage to the English fleet. Hull, as a major North Sea port, had particular historical connections to the Anglo-Dutch Wars, and the presence of this van de Velde canvas at the Ferens connects the city to its maritime history. The Four Days' Battle was a subject van de Velde returned to multiple times, using his father's on-site sketches as a foundation. The undated status of this canvas suggests it may be a later studio work based on earlier preparations.

Canvas with oil depicting the sustained engagement of a multi-day battle. The composition likely focuses on a specific incident from the four days rather than attempting to compress the entire battle into a single scene. Multiple vessels in close combat create the visual complexity of fleet action.