Zeilschepen en figuren op een strand 1797 - 1870

Andreas Schelfhout made this watercolor drawing of sailboats and figures on a beach in the 19th century. Here, Schelfhout has used watercolor and pencil to create a study of boats, figures and the beach. The rough paper has a texture of its own, and this lends itself to the subject. He renders the scene with quick strokes, capturing a sense of the beach. The muted palette evokes a misty day at the shore. But it’s not just about the pretty scene. The work hints at the tough lives of those working on the water. Making a living from the sea required a lot of labor. The horses pulling the boats up the beach were important to the coastal economy. They were part of a whole system of labor. So, next time you look at a landscape, think about the work that went into it. Think about the social context, the labor, and the people that made it all possible.