A sea fight

Executed in pencil or charcoal, the drawing is characterized by rapid, sketchy lines and extensive cross‑hatching that convey depth and movement. The loose handling suggests a quick study rather than a finished piece, with no color applied. The artist uses varied line density to model the towering masts, turbulent waves, and scattered debris, creating a sense of immediacy.

Initially part of the Royal Collection, the drawing left the royal holdings when it was sold to the dealer Edwin Parsons. The museum acquired it in 1889, adding it to its holdings alongside other Van de Velde depictions of the same engagement held at the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich.

The incident occurred during a period of heightened piracy by North African states, which frequently targeted European merchant shipping. The Mary Rose’s defense of the convoy reflects England’s naval strategy of safeguarding trade routes against such corsair raids, a concern that shaped maritime policy in the late 1600s.