Oorlogsschip op het IJ after 1768

This drawing of a warship on the IJ was made by Bernhard Schreuder. It is made using graphite on paper, a relatively simple set of materials, which belies the sophistication of the image. Look closely, and you’ll see how the artist has used subtle gradations of tone, achieved with the humble pencil, to suggest the movement of wind and water. The warship is the star of the show, rendered with impressive detail, from the rigging to the hull. This precision gives us a sense of the immense labor involved in the production of such vessels, the skilled trades of shipwrights, sailmakers, and carpenters, all mobilized to create these machines of war. Consider also the paper itself, how it provides a smooth, consistent surface for the artist’s delicate rendering. The drawing is not just an image, but an artifact of material knowledge, revealing the close relationship between art, industry, and the social context in which they are produced.