* Willem van de Velde the Elder Leiden 1611 - 1693 London

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Description

Willem van de Velde the Elder
The Visit of Charles II to the Tiger: In the Reach Above Woolwich
Inscribed in ink over a previous inscription in graphite lower center: alwaer den koning bij den hartog komt met 3 baersies int rack boven wollits ende de baersies zije aen zije geleijt wierden
[where the king comes to the duke with the three barges in the reach above Woolwich and the barges were lying side by side]

numbered in graphite upper edge left of center: No 3 (partly cut off) and in a later hand upper right corner 8
graphite, pen and black ink and gray wash on four joined sheets of paper, with a horizontal framing line below and two ruled horizontals within the composition, a small sheet attached to the barge at left with a correction

Catalogue Note

This sheet shows an earlier moment in the King's journey than does lot 9 above. The ships appear to be heading away from the artist, so the view must be in the downstream direction, and since the inscription describes the location as "the reach above Woolwich," it seems likely that the promontary of land with a small block-house on it to the right is in fact the tip of the Greenwich Peninsula. King Charles's barge is in the left center (indicated by the inscription den konig [the king]) and the King himself is standing facing the oarsmen, gesturing with his right hand.