Model of a Gun and Carriage on a Ship Deck 1796

Here we see a model of a gun and carriage on a ship deck made by Jochem Pietersz Asmus, sometime between the late 18th and early 19th centuries. This object provides insight into Dutch maritime power. The Netherlands, a major colonial power at this time, controlled vital trade routes. Mastery of the seas was secured through military might. The naval cannon became a symbol of this dominance. Such a model allows us to explore that history. What social and economic conditions made this object possible? What artistic traditions did Asmus draw upon? What did it mean to carefully fashion a miniature cannon? Was this model made for instruction? For amusement? To celebrate Dutch power? These are questions to pursue, consulting archival sources, maritime histories, and biographical information about the artist and the circumstances of its making. The meaning of such an object is always tied to its complex social and institutional context.