_-_Sea_Battle_of_the_Third_Anglo_Dutch_War%2C_probably_the_'London'_at_the_Battle_of_the_Texel%2C_August_1673_-_B1973.1.60_-_Yale_Center_for_British_Art.jpg&width=1200)
Sea Battle of the Third Anglo Dutch War, probably the 'London' at the Battle of the Texel, August 1673
Historical Context
Van de Velde the Younger's Sea Battle of the Third Anglo-Dutch War, depicting what is probably the ship 'London' at the Battle of the Texel in August 1673, documents the climactic battle of that final war between England and the Dutch Republic. The Battle of the Texel (Kijkduin) was a Dutch victory under Admiral De Ruyter that prevented a planned Anglo-French landing in the Netherlands, and Van de Velde, who by this time was working for the English crown, was in a uniquely ambiguous position documenting a battle that was a defeat for his employer. The battle marked the effective end of the Anglo-Dutch Wars.
Technical Analysis
The identification of the specific ship 'London' suggests Van de Velde's characteristic documentary precision — he could identify and accurately depict individual vessels by name. The battle is rendered with his trademark command of rigging, smoke, and the dynamic movement of capital ships in a major naval engagement.
