Dutch School, early 18th Century

We are grateful to Remmelt Daalder of the Scheepvaartmuseum, Amsterdam, for suggesting that the port in the former picture resembles that of Naples, and for identifying the colours of Zeeland in the latter. Alternatively, Daalder notes that the former picture may present a somewhat fanciful view of the Bay of Gibraltar. We are equally grateful to Peter van der Merwe, of the National Maritime Museum, Greenwich, for confirming that the latter picture is a rare record of the so-called 'Barbary ensign' or 'Berber's head' flag, flown by Algerine pirates. Van der Merwe proposes that the striped flag in the former picture may be that of Vlieland, while the pennant showing a crowned lion rampant passant with a scimitar in one hand and a bunch of lightning darts in the other, on a red field, is the flag of the States General.