Afgemeerde zeilboten 1843 - 1846

Hendrik Abraham Klinkhamer made this pencil drawing of moored sailboats sometime in the mid-19th century. The simple materials belie the complexity of what is being represented. Consider the labor involved in building and maintaining these vessels. The pencil lines give only the barest suggestion of timber planks, rope rigging, and heavy canvas sails, all produced through demanding work. Shipbuilding was then, as it is now, a highly skilled trade; sailing equally so. The image presents a moment of rest, but also implies the industry that animates the scene. Even the slight sketch on paper depends on an extensive network of production, distribution, and use. This reminds us that all art has a material basis.