Model of an 80-Pounder Shell Gun on a Pivot on a Ship Deck 1839

This scale model of a naval gun was made at the Rijkswerf Vlissingen, a Dutch shipyard, using iron, brass, and wood. Look closely, and you'll see a very high level of skill, not just in casting and machining the gun itself, but also in the joinery of the wooden support structure and the braiding of the rope. The finish of these materials, especially the dark iron, speaks to a utilitarian aesthetic; it's not about decoration, but about efficient performance. And that is where its social significance lies. Consider the labor required to produce such an object; mining and smelting the ore, turning the metal, working the timber, and so on. It's a whole world of work captured in miniature. The model gives us insight into the industrial processes and the labor inherent in maritime power during this period. It challenges our conventional ideas about craftsmanship and its role in shaping social and political structures.