Franse galei 1719

This anonymous print depicts a French galley and opens a window onto a complex history of maritime power and human exploitation. The galley, a symbol of naval strength, was propelled by oars, requiring a massive workforce. Consider for a moment who labored on these ships. Beyond soldiers and sailors, many were enslaved Africans or prisoners of war, forced into grueling conditions. Their identities were stripped away as they were reduced to mere instruments of imperial ambition. The flags and banners are not simply emblems of national pride; they represent the economic and human cost of colonial expansion. The labor of those galley slaves powered this ship and the French empire. By depicting this ship with its flags flying, the artist asks us to consider the relationship between power, identity, and the sea.