Twee spuitende walvissen in de Barentszzee c. 1880 - 1887

This is a pencil drawing of two spouting whales in the Barents Sea, sketched by Louis Apol during one of his arctic journeys. Apol was known for his winter landscapes, a genre that catered to the 19th-century Dutch fascination with the sublime and the romantic. Apol lived through a period of immense social and political change. Think about the role of the artist in depicting scenes of nature amidst growing industrialization and urbanization. The arctic landscape here becomes a site of exploration, but also one of exploitation. As the 19th century progressed, the Arctic became more accessible, due to advances in technology and the pursuit of natural resources. Imagine Apol on the ship, in this cold environment, making quick sketches in his notebook. What does it mean to try and capture these whales, these sublime creatures, with a pencil? The drawing serves as a reminder of humanity’s complex relationship with the natural world, and how we continue to shape and be shaped by our environment.