Amsterdam Harbor Scene c. 1654 - 1655

Reinier Nooms, who was also a sailor, made this evocative scene of Amsterdam harbor in oil on canvas. Nooms’s attention to detail reveals the material culture of maritime trade, and by extension, the burgeoning capitalism of 17th-century Netherlands. Look closely and you’ll see how the weight and texture of the paint mimics the density of the ships and roiling clouds. The layered application of pigment mirrors the labor-intensive shipbuilding process. The Dutch Republic was a major maritime power, its wealth built on seafaring trade. Canvases like this were commodities themselves, bought and sold on the open market like the ships they represent. Yet they also memorialize the labor of countless individuals: the sailors who braved the open seas, and the craftsmen who built and maintained the vessels. By considering the materials and the making, we can appreciate how Nooms's painting participates in a larger network of production and consumption. It’s a reminder that even the most beautiful works of art are tied to wider social issues of labor, politics, and economics.