Miniature Boat c. 1936

This drawing by Du Bois represents a miniature boat, likely created sometime between 1775 and 1875. It depicts what appears to be a detailed representation of a steamboat. The artwork is made with ink or graphite on paper, focusing on linework and tonal values to describe the boat’s form. The choice of this medium is interesting because of its simplicity and the need for a skilled hand to create such a precise image. The drawing may have served as a design proposal, a record, or simply a study of an object related to industry and transport. The steamboat itself has social and economic significance, reflecting the rise of industrial transportation and its impact on society. Steamboats revolutionized travel and trade, thus influencing economic growth and labor practices. This drawing could hint at the growing importance of industry and technology in everyday life. Focusing on the materials and the subject matter reveals how deeply intertwined art, industry, and social change can be.