Twelve Dutch Indiamen are shown spread across the canvas. There was not room for all to be anchored in line and so only four are broadside to the enemy and in action. On the left several more are moored bow on, engaging with their chase guns. There are some lateen-rigged Danish vessels on the right of the harbour and the Danish shore batteries can be seen in action on the extreme left and right of the painting. The English squadron can only be glimpsed in the centre background and are almost totally obscured by the smoke of their own guns.

The painting is an oil sketch believed to be the preliminary one from which van de Velde made his large painting, twelve feet long, for Commodore Bitter, the Dutch commander.

The artist was the younger son of Willem van de Velde the Elder He worked in his father's studio and developed the skill of carefully drawing ships in tranquil settings. He changed his subject matter, however, when he came with his father to England in 1672–1673, by a greater concentration on royal yachts, men-of-war and storm scenes. From this time painting sea battles for Charles II and his brother (and Lord High Admiral) James, Duke of York, and other patrons, became a priority.