To hollandske fregatter 1623 - 1664

Curator: Here we have Reinier Nooms' etching, "To hollandske fregatter," created sometime between 1623 and 1664. It translates to "Two Dutch Frigates," and you can view this Dutch Golden Age print here at the Statens Museum for Kunst. Editor: My first impression is the dramatic tension—a lone warship fires at something outside the frame as another vessel floats imposingly nearby. Even as a black-and-white etching, the scene bristles with an anxious, martial energy. Curator: The scene depicts the vessels armed and outfitted against the Parliament of England, underscoring the period’s intense naval competition and conflict between the Dutch Republic and England. Nooms, himself a seaman, aimed to document the specifics of maritime technology, offering viewers insight into 17th-century naval power. Editor: It also feels like it hints at larger themes: the rise of mercantile power, the brutal enforcement of trade routes, and colonialism's reliance on naval dominance. How can we not read this scene of two sovereign ships gearing up for war with a postcolonial awareness of how colonial exploits in other regions led to conflicts such as these? Curator: Absolutely, and his rendering style showcases a tension between the documentary impulse and an emerging Dutch Baroque aesthetic. Observe his delicate hatching lines to construct depth and shadow while communicating factual precision regarding rigging, hull design, and armament. Editor: It is compelling that he marries these stark lines of imperial infrastructure and technology with delicate linework. It shows a deliberate hand, almost like a portrait, that attempts to balance two systems into something approaching cohesion. The text below the image further contextualizes it as part of larger propaganda efforts, too. It invites discussion about the role of media and imagery in shaping public sentiment during times of conflict. Curator: Nooms' etching exemplifies how art became enmeshed with political ambitions during the Dutch Golden Age. These frigates represented potent instruments of trade and control, subtly reinforcing the authority of the Dutch state at a critical period in its history. Editor: And seeing such militarization represented through this fine, almost lace-like rendering throws into relief the violent and turbulent reality such supposed beauty hides. Thinking about the colonial ramifications and its relationship to our present day opens up some deeply necessary conversations.