The frigate is probably preparing to anchor and bustles with activity. The courses (fore and main sails) are half clewed up (the corners hauled in) to slow the vessel for manouvering and anchoring. The ship's barge at the centre rows away from the starboard bow, likely to fetch supplies or to land an important passenger. The starboard anchor is being attended to by a crewmember silhouetted against the smoke while a sailor standing on the beakhead tends to the port anchor. The frigate flies a long steaming common pendant from main mast indicating that the ship is under Admiralty orders, a St George's flag from the bowsprit and a red ensign at the stern.

Van de Velde painted saluting ships in calm water frequently, but port bow views are quite rare while views of the stern of the ship are much more common. Two other saluting scenes of similar size dated c.1691 and c.1696 share with the present picture very similar compositions though the frigates are perhaps readying to depart their anchors (see M.S. Robinson, The Paintings of the Willem van de Veldes, Vol. II, no. 116 and no. 582, pp. 644-6). This suggests the first half of the 1690s as a likely date for the present work. It is also interesting to note that Robinson considers these two pictures to represent evening and afternoon respectively, while our own picture appears to be morning.

We are grateful to Dr Remmelt Daalder who has inspected photographs of the painting and believes it to be probably entirely by Willem van de Velde II. Dr Daalder is expected to see the painting first-hand at which time he hopes to confirm his opinion.

The artwork is signed with initials on the driftwood lower left: W.V.V.J