Portrait of a French two-decker

This is a ship portrait, viewed at very close range and from the port quarter. On the vessel’s tafferel are the crowned arms of France and Navarre: three fleur-de-lis impaled on a chain design surrounded by the Orders of St Michael and St Esprit. On either side are angels, which kneel as if supporting the crowned coat of arms.

This is a tracing. It is executed in pencil with an even wash over the boat’s entire hull. It has been traced from the same original which was used for the offset in the Boymans-van Beuningen Museum, Rotterdam.