De zeeslag bij Kaap La Hogue, 1692 Possibly 1781

William Woollett created this print of the 1692 naval battle at Cape La Hogue. The monochromatic print captures a scene of chaos and conflict, dominated by swirling smoke, fragmented ship wreckage, and turbulent waves, evoking a sense of overwhelming disarray. Woollett masterfully uses line and texture to convey the intensity of the battle. Note the dense clusters of fine lines that form the billowing smoke, contrasting with the relatively smoother surfaces of the water and the ships. This use of contrast emphasizes the destructive force and the overwhelming confusion of naval combat. The composition is structured to create a dynamic sense of movement. Diagonals cut across the scene, leading the eye from the foreground's struggling figures to the distant, burning ships. The engraving invites us to consider how meaning is constructed through the strategic deployment of formal elements. The fragmented forms mirror the fracturing of political and social orders during times of war.