I am examining what Michael Robinson wrote about the Willem van de Velde, the Elder's grisaille on canvas. The picture is dated 1657, and resides at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The picture is quite large (67 inches x 113-3/4 inches).
There are more obvious mistakes in the narrative. On page 15, he says that Jan Evertsen's flagship was the Hollandia. Certainly, this was Evertsen's flagship for most of the First Anglo-Dutch War. However, at Scheveningen, the ship was commanded by Adriaan Banckert (Evertsen's former flag captain), and was sunk (Schetsen V, p.201).
On 24 July, there is a reference that says that a new East Indiaman was being readied for Jan Evertsen (1DW5, page 286).
Bibliography
1DW5--Ed. C.T. Atkinson, The First Dutch War, Vol. V, London, 1911.
Schetsen--Dr. Johan E. Elias, Schetsen uit de geschiedenis van ons zeewezen, 6 volumes, 's-Gravenhage, 1916-1930.
Paintings--M. S. Robinson, Paintings of the Willem Van De Veldes , 2 volumes, London, 1990.
