Zeeslag bij Lowestoft op 13 juni 1665 1665

Willem van de Velde the Elder made this pen-and-ink drawing of the Battle of Lowestoft in 1665. It depicts Dutch and English ships clashing amid billows of smoke. Van de Velde was the official artist of the Dutch Navy, and this drawing reflects the Dutch Republic's fierce competition with England for maritime power during the 17th century. The sea was the site of intense political, economic, and military conflict, and paintings like this served a crucial function in celebrating Dutch naval prowess. The drawing also hints at the institutional structure of artistic production in the Dutch Republic. Van de Velde's work was supported by state patronage. These types of historical records such as ship logs and eyewitness accounts can tell us about the context in which art was created and what impact that had on the artworks.