Timmerwerk aan de sloep, 1597 1598

Curator: Look at this striking 1598 print, attributed to Anonymous, titled "Timmerwerk aan de sloep, 1597." It's a woodcut and engraving, currently residing here at the Rijksmuseum. Editor: It feels…stark. Like a dream half-remembered. The sharp contrasts create a feeling of isolation, despite all the figures bustling around. What is everyone so busy with? Curator: Well, "Timmerwerk aan de sloep" translates to "Timberwork on the Sloop." The scene depicts the construction of a boat. It's a glimpse into labor, literally the process of building something essential for exploration or trade perhaps. The tools scattered on the ground, the varying stances of the workers, all emphasize materiality. Editor: The process fascinates me. The repetition of line suggests movement and force. There are axes and saws and many, many people. Yet, who are they? What’s the purpose of this flurry of industry in the middle of what feels like nowhere? I want to reach in and know how the wood smells, how heavy each tool feels. Curator: It is intriguing how the anonymous creator emphasizes their actions without revealing any personal identity. Look, there’s someone standing on top of that building seemingly pouring liquid down a pipe. And what’s up with that bear casually strolling by? Editor: Perhaps the figures are meant to stand in for labor itself. Note how some work collectively, directly on the hull. Others perform specialized tasks seemingly detached from the overall purpose of constructing this sloop. And a bear! What materials is this landscape really made of? Snow, or sand? And what's this wood's provenance? It opens to a wealth of environmental and socio-economical readings, really. Curator: It is definitely a tableau vivant—full of narrative. In a strange way, it’s hopeful. Think about the physical exertion and planning it took to organize this whole endeavour. Despite that desolate background, there’s community, industry. You make the world you want to live in; you design the objects that help get you there. Editor: Indeed, a world meticulously made—from labor to lumber. Examining “Timmerwerk aan de sloep, 1597”, encourages an intense reflection on material transformation. It is a silent hum that resonates through our industrial journey and beyond.