Zeilboot 1797 - 1838

Johannes Christiaan Schotel made this pencil drawing of a sailboat in the early 19th century in the Netherlands. The Dutch Golden Age of the 17th century was powered by seafaring trade. By the 19th century, the Netherlands was a smaller player on the world stage, but maritime scenes still carried powerful cultural associations. We can see here, in the delicate lines of Schotel’s work, an echo of that earlier period of Dutch power, as well as the artist’s own deep interest in the sea. Schotel was not just an artist, but also a sailor, giving him an intimate knowledge of his subject. As historians, we look into the artist's biography, the cultural values of the time, and the patronage of institutions such as the Rijksmuseum to understand the meaning and value that this work has had over time. The meaning of art is always contingent on such social and institutional contexts.