There is lots of information hidden in this picture. Find out more by clicking on different parts of the picture. There are 19 things to find

The sky  

Only 10% of this painting is sky. Artists usually put much more sky than this in a painting.

Distant ships

The artist has painted the ships in the distance much smaller to show that they are further away.

Not all the objects in the painting are the right size for how far away they are, though.

Broken masts

The broken mast and sinking ship are some of the artist's ways of telling us that the Spanish are losing this battle.

Two monks  

One monk is leaning over the side of the sinking ship, holding a 'rosary' (prayer beads used by some Catholics). It looks like he is trying to use the rosary to rescue the figure in the water, which looks like a woman. This is strange because there would not have been any women on the ships.

Smoke

The painting has a lot of smoke from the Spanish and English cannon fire.

The artist has used the curling smoke clouds to add a decorative pattern within the painting.

Strange sailors

There are some strange sailors on this Spanish ship! In reality they would not have been on a fighting ship, but the artist is using them as symbols to make a point. The colourful red-and-yellow one is a jester or 'fool' - like a clown. The artist is saying that this Spanish flagship is a 'ship of fools' - he's making fun of them.

Flags

There are a large number of flags, ensigns and pennants in this painting.

They add colour to the picture. It looks more like a festival than a battle.

The English Royal Ensign

An ensign is like a badge. The ship that bore the Royal ensign was the 'flagship' (chief ship) of the English fleet.

The 'Papal Ensign'

The crossed keys represent the heavenly keys of St Peter.

As Head of the Catholic Church, the Pope was the supreme authority in Spain, even above the King.

The English flag

All of the 150 English ships flew the flag of St George.

Martin Frobisher commanded the biggest ship in the English fleet, Triumph. It was a 1000-ton ship and carried a crew of 500 men. He was knighted during the campaign.

The Spanish flag

All the Spanish ships flew this flag, red with a yellow cross.

The Spanish fleet numbered around 130 ships, and carried 19,000 fighting men.

Revenge

This is one of the chief English ships, probably the Revenge, commanded by Sir Francis Drake, the vice-admiral of the English fleet.

Drake was known to the Spanish as 'El Draco' (the dragon). He attacked the Spanish port of Cadiz in 1587, and burnt lots of Spanish ships. He was known as the man who had 'singed (burnt) the King of Spain's beard'.

English Royal Crest

The ship's main sail bears the royal crest. It has the royal motto 'Honi Soi Qui Mal Y Pense'. This is French for 'evil be to him who evil thinks'.

Spanish flagship

This is probably the Spanish 'flagship' (chief ship in the fleet) San Martin, belonging to the Duke of Medina Sidonia. His deputy was Juan Martinez de Recalde. Medina Sidonia's ship was a galleon (just sails) but this ship is a galleass.

Ark Royal

This ship is probably the English 'flagship' (chief ship in the fleet), the Ark Royal.

The Ark Royal belonged to Sir Walter Ralegh until he gave it to the Queen.

Duke of Medina Sidonia

The man alone in this boat is probably the Duke of Medina Sidonia, who was in charge of the Spanish fleet.

Victory

The morning after the fireships attack, there was the fiercest fighting of the whole Armada campaign during the Battle of Gravelines (which may be what this painting shows).

Victory (2)

The Armada then sailed north to Scotland where it met very stormy weather. Many ships were wrecked off the rocky coasts of Scotland and Ireland. One Spanish ship landed in Ireland and its crew was executed.

Fireships

The English fireship attack took place at night, which is why no fireships can be seen here, but any of these English ships could have been used.

The English used eight fireships to attack the Spanish. They were loaded with materials that would burn easily, like wood and pitch.

They were set on fire and left to drift into the Spanish fleet anchored off the coast of France.

Fireships

Ships of war

Sailing ships of both sides were often known as galleons, although the word is really Spanish.

The English ships are generally thought to have been faster and better than the Spanish ships.

Ships of war