The skirmish of Michiel Adriaensz de Ruyter against the duke of York, commanding the 'Royal Prince'during the Battle of Solebay, 7 June 1672: episode from the Third Anglo-Dutch War (1672-74)

Van de Velde employs a vigorous application of paint to render billowing smoke and churning waves, creating a palpable sense of movement. Strong contrasts of light and shadow—chiaroscuro—accentuate the fire of the cannons and the gloom of the sea, while the dense, impasto strokes give the scene a tactile, almost three‑dimensional quality.

Executed nearly a quarter‑century after the battle it depicts, the painting reflects van de Velde’s reputation as a leading marine artist of his era. It entered the Rijksmuseum’s collection as part of the museum’s effort to assemble representative works of Dutch maritime history, where it remains on view as a documented example of 17th‑century naval art.

The Battle of Solebay marked the opening engagement of the Third Anglo-Dutch War, pitting the Dutch Republic against a combined English and French fleet. Van de Velde’s depiction aligns with contemporary Dutch efforts to record and celebrate naval engagements, serving both as a historical record and as a visual assertion of the Republic’s maritime resilience.