Schipbreuk met drenkelingen c. 1765 - 1769

Jean Jacques Flipart created this print titled 'Shipwreck with Drowning People.' In the 18th century, prints like this one served as both records and moral lessons. Shipwrecks were, sadly, common, and this image captures the desperation of such events. We see the class dynamics starkly portrayed: the vulnerable bodies of those who have survived the wreck being hauled ashore by those assisting in rescue. Who were these drowning people? Were they merchants, sailors, or perhaps enslaved individuals being transported across the sea? Flipart leaves this untold, yet we might consider what it meant to be at the mercy of the sea during this era. He has captured a moment of collective crisis, where social roles become blurred in the face of human suffering. The turbulent sea and dark skies evoke the emotional turmoil and physical ordeal endured by those on board, reminding us of the fragility of life and the indifference of nature.