The Battle of Scheveningen, 10 August 1653 by Willem van de Velde the Elder, 1665, pen painting on panel.

This grisaille or 'pen-painting' depicts the last battle of the First Anglo-Dutch War, 1652-1654, and is based on eyewitness sketches by the artist, who was present and has interpreted it as a success for the Dutch. It was more widely regarded as a Dutch defeat, since they lost 15 ships. More disastrously, they also lost their leader, Lieutenant-Admiral Maerten Tromp, who was killed at the beginning of the engagement, producing confusion in the Dutch fleet. As a result the English were able to impose fairly harsh terms on the Dutch at the ensuing peace conference. Here, van de Velde the Elder includes himself in the small vessel in the left foreground as an eyewitness to the battle. Seated with his back to the viewer with a sketching board propped up on his knee and wearing a broad-brimmed hat, he records the action between the Dutch and English. A younger man, perhaps van de Velde the Younger, standing beside him watches the master at work, learning through observation.

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