Half Model of a 68-Gun Ship of the Line c. 1798 - 1808

This intriguing half model of a 68-Gun Ship of the Line is constructed from wood. Its anonymous maker fashioned a slice of naval architecture into a tangible form. The model presents a study in contrasts, a visual dichotomy between open and closed form. The upper section, delineated by dark horizontal bands, creates a sense of enclosure, whereas the lower hull dissolves into a grid of white lines. This grid suggests a structure both present and absent, solid and transparent, evoking the unseen forces that dictate a ship’s stability. The choice to depict only half the ship invites contemplation. Is it a fragment of something larger or a complete statement in itself? The linear precision emphasizes the calculated nature of ship design, where every line serves a structural and functional purpose. In its partial representation, the model prompts us to consider how objects can signify more than what they literally present.