De tocht van de Engelse koning Karel II over de Thames naar Sheerness en Chatham op 27 Augustus 1681

About this artwork

hoogte 305 mm x breedte 435 mm

Art Historical Context

This evocative brush drawing by Willem van de Velde the Elder captures a royal procession along the River Thames on 27 August 1681. The Dutch marine artist, celebrated for his precise and atmospheric depictions of ships and waterways, records King Charles II’s journey toward the naval strongholds of Sheerness and Chatham. Created in the months following the event, the work offers a contemporary glimpse of Stuart-era pageantry on one of Europe’s busiest rivers. Van de Velde’s use of brushwork allows for fluid yet detailed rendering of vessels, rippling water, and distant shorelines. His training in the Netherlands, combined with later service to the English court, gave him unique access to both Dutch and British fleets. The modest dimensions—305 by 435 millimetres—suggest the sheet was intended as a finished study or presentation piece rather than a large oil painting. Today the drawing stands as a valuable historical document, illustrating the close ties between maritime power, royal authority, and artistic patronage in the late seventeenth century.