Heemskerck and Barents Planning their Second Expedition to the Far North 1862

Christoffel Bisschop painted 'Heemskerck and Barents Planning their Second Expedition to the Far North’ in the late 19th century. It depicts Dutch explorers, who lived in the 16th century, during a time of great European maritime exploration. The painting reveals the period’s intertwined motivations of scientific curiosity, and colonial ambition. Reflected in the globe, maps, and ship model, which speak to the era's increasing geographical knowledge and technological prowess. Juxtapose this with the prominent polar bear skin, a symbol of the harsh realities and the ecological cost of these expeditions. It subtly hints at the exploitation and disruption of indigenous Arctic ecosystems and cultures that often accompanied such endeavors. Bisschop, painting in the 19th century, invites us to reflect on the legacy of exploration, and its lasting impact on both the explorers and the explored. How did those explorers feel when they were mapping new land and how does this feeling reflect in the artwork?