The surrender of the Royal Prince

Dated to circa 1670 and held by the Fondation Custodia in Paris, this canvas by van de Velde the Younger depicts the surrender of the Royal Prince — specifically the capture of the English flagship Royal Prince during the Four Days' Battle of June 1666, one of the largest naval engagements in history. The Royal Prince ran aground on the Galloper Sand during the battle and was captured by the Dutch fleet before being burned. Van de Velde would have had detailed knowledge of this event: his father, Willem van de Velde the Elder, was present in a small boat sketching the battle firsthand, and his drawings provided the basis for later painted reconstructions. The surrender of such a prestigious English vessel was a moment of Dutch national triumph, and paintings commemorating it had both historical and propaganda value. The Fondation Custodia, established by collector Frits Lugt, holds one of the world's finest collections of Dutch and Flemish drawings and paintings.

Canvas with oil, combining the documentary precision of van de Velde's ship portraiture with the drama of an active naval encounter. The Royal Prince, a distinctively large and heavily rigged first-rate ship, would be the compositional centerpiece. Smoke from guns or fire may provide atmospheric drama.