Zeehaven met schepen 1617 - 1660

Matthieu van Plattenberg created this etching titled 'Zeehaven met schepen,' or 'Seaport with Ships,' in the 17th century. During this period, the Dutch Republic was a dominant force in global maritime trade, a context crucial to understanding this work. Plattenberg, who was born in Antwerp but spent much of his career in the Netherlands, depicts a bustling harbor scene, complete with ships, architectural elements, and human figures. These scenes reflected the Netherlands' economic prosperity and global reach. The presence of numerous ships signifies the intense maritime activity that defined the era, yet this seemingly celebratory image has a darker side. These ships were also instruments of colonialism and the transatlantic slave trade, intertwining themes of commerce with exploitation and the erasure of human rights. How do we reconcile the beauty and accomplishment in this vista with the underlying narratives of exploitation and oppression that propelled it?