Gunlock (Percussion) on a Dummy Breech of a 30-Pounder Carronade 1836

This is a gunlock on a dummy breech of a 30-Pounder Carronade, made by Rijkswerf Amsterdam. Although its creation date is unknown, its existence opens a door to reflect on power, technology, and history. Here we see not the whole weapon, but a fragment, a detail, a mechanism. It speaks volumes about the industrial systems and imperial ambitions of its time. Produced in Amsterdam, it reflects the Dutch Republic's significance in global maritime power and trade. The gunlock, a trigger for immense destructive capability, invites a discussion about the ethics of war, and colonialism. This object, with its metallic precision juxtaposed against the wooden dummy, embodies both technological advancement and the detachment from the real implications of war. Consider how such an instrument of power shapes not only military campaigns but also cultural exchanges, trade routes, and the intimate lives of individuals touched by conflict. Doesn’t it make you wonder about the human stories interwoven with this object?