. English: A First-Rate An unfinished composition closely relating to a painting of the 'Royal Sovereign' by Willem van de Velde the Younger (BHC3614), which is thought to commemorate an event at Spithead on 4 June 1702 when Prince George of Denmark dined on board with the Duke of Ormonde. In Woodcock's picture the first-rate shown on the left may be the 'Royal William', at anchor and becalmed. The artist has adapted the ships shown in van de Velde's painting by altering the nationality of the flags and the appearance of the sterns. On the principal ship the Royal Standard is implied flying a
. English: A First-Rate An unfinished composition closely relating to a painting of the 'Royal Sovereign' by Willem van de Velde the Younger (BHC3614), which is thought to commemorate an event at Spithead on 4 June 1702 when Prince George of Denmark dined on board with the Duke of Ormonde. In Woodcock's picture the first-rate shown on the left may be the 'Royal William', at anchor and becalmed. The artist has adapted the ships shown in van de Velde's painting by altering the nationality of the flags and the appearance of the sterns. On the principal ship the Royal Standard is implied flying at the main, the Admiralty flag at the fore, the Union flag at the mizzen and the red ensign at the stern. The red ensign is different from van de Velde's because it is the post-1707 patterns with the St George's cross and St Andrew's cross superimposed on a blue ground in the upper quadrant. The ship is firing a salute to port and a number of figures are visible on the deck and in the rigging. A carved anchor is prominently positioned on the stern above the rudder. There are a number of ships in the far distance. In the left foreground a ship's boat or barge approaches the 'Royal William's' stern where there are two other boats on the port quarter and two on the starboard quarter. In the centre foreground is a fishing pink with her square sail lowered and two people on board. Next to it is a skiff or wherry alongside. Further away on the right is one of the ketch-rigged royal yachts in port-bow view, which may be the 'Isabella'. A ship's boat or barge is leaving her starboard-bow, pulling towards the 'Royal William' The artist was a clerk in the Admiralty with a keen interest in ships. By the age of 30 he is known to have been painting in oils. He admired the van de Veldes and made a number of copies of their work. This is an example in which Woodcock may have van de Velde the Younger's composition as an aid to portraying a similar event when the 'Royal William' was present at
Size: 2042px × 2448px
Photo credit: © The Picture Art Collection / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No
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