Titelprent voor 'Aeloude en hedendaegsche scheeps-bouw en bestier' van Nicolaes Witsen 1671

This etching, created by Romeyn de Hooghe in 1671, is a title print for Nicolaes Witsen's book 'Aeloude en hedendaegsche scheeps-bouw en bestier', which explores shipbuilding. The print features allegorical figures, likely representing the four elements, overseeing the construction of a ship in the foreground, while in the background, a city and harbor appear. The composition, with its contrast between the allegorical figures and the laborers, emphasizes the importance of both intellectual and practical knowledge in shipbuilding. The etching is now housed in the Rijksmuseum.