| omschrijving | When Sweden attacked Denmark and occupied both sides of the Sound it brought Dutch Baltic trade to a standstill. The Dutch sent a fleet to the Baltic under Lieutenant-Admiral Jan van Wassenaer to protect their trade routes from the Swedes, who were besieging Copenhagen. The Dutch victory at the intensely fought battle of the Sound forced the Swedish fleet to withdraw from Copenhagen and the siege of the city by land was abandoned.
The painting shows a general view of the end of the battle and, since the artist was present it can be regarded as an eyewitness interpretation. In the left foreground is a bow view of a Swedish ship probably the 'Carolus', 60 guns, with a vice-admiral on board. She is shown firing as she passes the Dutch commander-in-chief, van Wassenaer, in the 'Eendracht', 76 guns, which can be seen in stern view on the starboard quarter of the 'Carolus'. The 'Eendracht', with a lion and a seated figure of Hollandia within a fence on her stern, is in action with a Swedish ship believed to be the 'Merkurius', 46 guns, and close to port on the far left is the 'Rotterdam', shown bearing the arms of Orange with lion supporters on the stern. In the left foreground is a dismasted Swedish ship, which has sunk to the level of the forecastle and on which figures are shown with their arms outstretched beseeching rescue towards the over-laden ship's boat in the water. The artist has shown other figures already in the water clinging to wreckage and awaiting rescue although no empty boats are available to help them. The sails of the ships have been carefully observed and the sterns of the ships carefully delineated.
In stern view in the centre middle distance is the Dutch ship 'Halve Maan' and on her starboard bow is the 'Krona', 74 guns. In the right background is the Swedish commander-in-chief, Karl Gustaf Wrangel, in the 'Viktoria', 84 guns, shown heading towards Kronborg because she had been damaged early in the battle by the 'Eendracht' and the 'Brederode'. A ship ahead of the 'Krona' may be the 'Brederode'. On the right is the burnt-out hulk of a small vessel, probably a fireship, and beyond the burning wreck is a Swedish ship which has lost her foremast, seen in bow view. Close on her starboard quarter is the sinking 'Morgentsjarna' with figures leaping or sliding down rigging into the water. In the water sailors are shown using a boat hook to help hoist them into the small boat.
The towers of Kronburg can be seen beyond the ships in the far distance on the right. Since this an eyewitness account, van de Velde's depiction of figures desperately jumping off sinking ships and of the gestures of those in the small boats is particularly moving and eloquent, demonstrating the level of terror experienced by the sailors and observed by the artist. He has intentionally included them in his project, although in this version of this highly detailed battle scene, of which he made several others, van de Velde has not placed himself in the picture.
Born in Leiden, van de Velde moved to Amsterdam with his two sons Adriaen and Willem, who were also painters. The former and elder painted landscapes but with Willem, the younger, he formed a working partnership specializing in marine subjects which lasted to his own death. Willem the elder was primarily a draughtsman who spent his career drawing ships and is believed to be one of the earliest artists to accompany fleets into action to record these events. He did this officially with the Dutch fleet from 1653. The resultant works, known as grisaille drawings or more accurately as pen-paintings ('penschilderingen'), were done in pen and ink on prepared lead-white panels or canvases. This technique enabled van de Velde's work to be full of detail and show his knowledge of shipping. He originally applied a cross-hatching technique to show darkness and shadow but from the 1650s increasingly used a brush to indicate shadow, clouds or waves. Van de Velde was the leading Dutch master in marine grisailles but also produced a handful of oils towards the end of his life. He briefly visited England twice, in 1661 and 1662, but by 1673 had moved there permanently with Willem the younger. Both worked for Charles II and his brother James, Duke of York, and they became the founders of the English school of marine painting. A great deal is known about him thanks to a list of his depictions of naval battles compiled in January 1678 by Captain Christopher Gunman.
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