De tocht van de Engelse koning Karel II over de Thames naar Sheerness en Chatham op 27 Augustus 1681 Possibly 1681 - 1688

This linear drawing by Willem van de Velde I, captures King Charles II's voyage on the Thames in 1681, rendered in pen and grey ink. The fleet of ships is structured in a horizontal arrangement with careful attention to their scale and position across the river. The almost monochromatic palette, with its subtle gradations of grey, creates a calm atmosphere, which is only disturbed by the intricate detailing of the ship’s rigging. The artist’s mastery of line is evident in the way each ship is delineated, with subtle variations in pressure and thickness to imply depth and volume. De Velde’s graphic style is not just descriptive; it invites us to contemplate the semiotic significance of maritime power. The composition reveals the artist's intention to evoke a sense of movement and the spatial relationship between the vessels and their environment. The use of line and the structured arrangement of forms, speaks to a visual language that goes beyond mere representation.