The Gouden Leeuw at the Battle of Texel, 21 August 1673

Dated to 1687 and held at Het Scheepvaartmuseum in Amsterdam, this canvas depicting the Gouden Leeuw at the Battle of Texel on 21 August 1673 is one of van de Velde the Younger's most historically significant battle compositions. The Battle of Texel was the final engagement of the Third Anglo-Dutch War and resulted in a decisive Dutch victory under Admiral de Ruyter, ending the threat of English and French domination of the Dutch Republic. The Gouden Leeuw (Golden Lion) was the flagship of Vice-Admiral Cornelis Tromp, who played a key role in the battle, and van de Velde's painting creates a monument to both vessel and commander. Painted fourteen years after the event, the canvas would have relied on the detailed sketches made by van de Velde the Elder at the battle itself. The painting holds a central place in the national maritime memory of the Dutch Republic.

Canvas with oil depicting an active major fleet engagement. The Gouden Leeuw is the compositional centerpiece, surrounded by the chaos and smoke of battle. Van de Velde renders the scale of a fleet action through careful management of multiple vessels in varied states — some firing, some manoeuvring, some damaged.