A Mediterranean capriccio of a sea fight between European merchantmen and Ottoman galeasses

Van Eertvelt was a pupil of Hendrik Cornelisz Vroom (1566-1640) and, in the early part of his career, painted small seascapes in the manner of his master. It was only later, having been influenced by various visits to Italy, that he decided to paint on a grander and larger scale. This work can, therefore, almost certainly be dated to the latter part of his career.