Portrait of an English two-decker, 1685 (graphite, grey wash)

Creator: Willem van de Velde, the Younger An English two-decker viewed form the starboard quarter. The work depicts the ports on the broadside, showing twelve on the gun deck, nine on the upper deck, and four on the quarter deck. On the stern are two rows of windows with an intervening row of panelled decoration between them. In the centre of this is a crowned foul anchor, flanked by a rose and probably a thistle, with an Irish harp to the right and possibly the Prince of Wales feathers to the left. Above are the royal arms with female supporters and three stern lanterns. An ensign on a staff and very lightly sketched hints of lower masts and bowsprit are also included in the drawing. The starboard anchor is shown hanging at the cathead. Signed in brown ink 'W.V.V.J'. The stern decoration and disposition of ports are similar to those of a ship tentatively identified as the 'Lenox', 70-guns, built in 1678 (drawing in the Boymans Museum, Rotterdam, 362).