Zeilschip, van achteren gezien 1820 - 1872

Hendrik Abraham Klinkhamer made this black chalk drawing of three ships seen from the rear, sometime in the first half of the 19th century. During this period, the Netherlands was defined by its extensive maritime activities, which shaped its economy and national identity. Klinkhamer’s choice to depict ships from the rear may symbolize the complex relationship between maritime power and individual experience. Instead of focusing on the grandeur of the ships, he draws our attention to the human scale by framing them from a less conventional angle. The inclusion of figures on a nearby bridge adds to this human-centric perspective. Consider how these serene images of ships contrast with the socio-economic realities of the time. While the ships represent trade and prosperity, they also remind us of the labor, exploitation, and colonial expansion enabled by maritime activities. These ships encourage us to think about the individuals whose lives were interwoven with maritime trade, inviting us to contemplate the stories of both opportunity and adversity that sailed across these waters.