A Dutch Naval Captain, circa 1690-1704, oil on canvas, by the Netherlandish School, 1690 (oil...

Creator: unknown A three-quarter-length portrait to right, wearing armour and a lace cravat. The sitter, wearing his own hair, faces forwards and meets the gaze of the viewer. His right arm rests on a table on which are placed a chart, navigational rule and celestial globe. His left hand is on his hip and a sword hangs down on his left side. In the right background his ship is in action with another, which may be Spanish. The flags in the ship in the background confirm the sitter as Dutch. The date of the painting is uncertain although the action taking place in the right background may refer to the Battle of Vigo Bay of 1702 between the Anglo-Dutch fleet and the Spanish.