The Navigator 1935 - 1942

Ingrid Selmer-Larsen made this watercolor painting, titled "The Navigator." The painting depicts a figure dressed in the garb of a seafaring captain holding a sextant, an instrument used for celestial navigation. The way Selmer-Larsen has handled the watercolor is interesting, creating an almost sculptural quality through careful shading and layering of washes. The material's fluidity is juxtaposed with the rigid lines of the navigator's attire and the sextant, creating a sense of tension between organic and geometric forms. But beyond its aesthetic qualities, consider what this painting says about labor and class. Navigation was essential to maritime trade, the engine of capitalism and colonialism. The navigator, equipped with his tools, represents the skilled labor required to extract resources, transport goods, and expand empires. Yet, the painting's somber palette and stoic figure also evoke the human cost of these endeavors, hinting at the challenges and sacrifices inherent in the pursuit of wealth and power. Thinking about the materials, the making process, and the wider social context helps us understand the rich and complex meaning embedded in the work.