Zeelieden gezeten aan tafel luisterend naar een van hen c. 1879

Piet Verhaert created this drawing, ‘Sailors seated at a table listening to one of them,’ without a known date, in which we see a circle of men sharing a moment. Dominating the scene is a sense of camaraderie, underscored by the presence of the ship model perched on the cabinet. The ship, throughout history, serves not merely as a vessel, but as a symbol laden with cultural weight. In ancient times, ships bore explorers into the unknown, carrying dreams of new worlds. Similarly, in the stories of seafarers, the ship symbolizes adventure and discovery. Think of the mythical ships of Jason and the Argonauts, or even Noah's Ark, each carrying the weight of a community's hopes. The act of storytelling among this group of sailors links back to age-old traditions of oral history, a way to convey collective memory. It’s interesting how the archetypal image of the ship, and its sailors, as a symbol of hope and refuge, continues to reappear throughout time.