The painting is near-contemporary, but it shows an "imaginative interpretation" of the battle. It appears to be based on a Venetian print by Martin Rota, dated 1572. A comparable painting by a different artist is preserved in the Museo Correr, Venice. The history of this painting is unknown, except that it was acquired by the NMM in 1946 from a London dealer, who may have obtained it from an English country house collection. The prominence of the Negroni galley may indicate that family as original owners. The otherwise unknown artist has signed it 'HLETTER' (H and L joined) immediately after the inscription identifying Uluch-Ali. In 1960, Cecil Gould of the National Gallery, London, suggested 'Austro-Flemish school' as a possible association but no further information has yet been found.

Some of the ships are labelled, including the galley of Gian' Andrea Doria (IL.GIO.ANDREA.DORIA), the commander of the Genoese squadron, and the flagship of the Genoese Negroni family (LA CAPITANIA DENEGRNI). In the right foreground is the galley of the Christian renegade Uluch-Ali, inscribed OCHIALLRE.DALGIERIFUGE.DALLABATTA.GLIA. (Ochiali, King of Algiers, flies from the battle).

Flags on the Christian side include: the Lion of Venice, the red St George's cross of Genoa and the gold and silver standards of the Papal States, as well as a standard of Christ on the Cross alongside the Hapsburg double-headed eagle on the flagship of John of Austria.