sculpture, wood
architectural modelling rendering
sculpture
architecture mock-up
structure design
traditional architecture
sculpture
architect
architecture model
wood
architectural proposal
architectural
prototype of a building
Dimensions height 35.5 cm, length 79 cm, width 17 cm
The Rijkswerf Amsterdam made this model of the screw-propeller steamship Watergeus, capturing the essence of a vessel that embodies both innovation and tradition. At first glance, one sees the symbolic marriage of sail and steam. Masts reach skyward, reminiscent of ancient seafaring traditions, yet the modern steam funnel asserts the dawn of a new, industrial age. The ship, a vessel that carries us across oceans, has, since time immemorial, been a potent symbol of passage, transition, and the journey of life. The psychological weight of the ship is heavy with the dreams of those who built, sailed, and depended on her. Like the mythical ship Argo, questing for the Golden Fleece, or the spectral Flying Dutchman doomed to sail eternally, this ship carries a cultural memory of human ambition. The Watergeus is not merely a feat of engineering, but a vessel laden with the hopes, fears, and collective unconscious of humanity.
Comments
The design of the Watergeus was based on the CSS Alabama, a sloop-of-war deployed for commerce raiding by the southern states during the American Civil War. The vessel’s outward appearance of a merchant ship was misleading, as her high, armoured sides concealed some considerable firepower. She was fitted with a double-screw propeller, which could be raised, and had a retract-able steam funnel.
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