Man op een vissersboot en een sloep bij een aanlegplaats 1797 - 1838

Johannes Christiaan Schotel created this drawing of a man on a fishing boat and a sloop at a landing site with a pencil. While undated, this work comes from a period of great transformation in the Netherlands, which after centuries as a maritime power, was experiencing economic and political upheaval under French rule. Schotel's drawing presents an interesting commentary on the fishing industry and the maritime culture of the time. Through his detailed depiction of the fishing boat, the man working, and the surrounding port, Schotel invites us to consider the everyday lives of those connected to the sea. What can we tell from the image about social class and the division of labor? How does the artist emphasize or downplay these aspects of Dutch society? Historians analyze such works alongside other sources – economic data, shipping records, and personal accounts – to understand the full story of this period.