Model of a Wind-Driven Pump 1788 - 1827

This is an anonymous model of a wind-driven pump. Its date and place of origin are unknown. Nevertheless it speaks volumes about the social conditions that make such technology desirable. We might speculate that it was made in a place with strong winds and a need to pump water. Windmills have historically been used in many parts of the world, but most famously perhaps in the Netherlands where the landscape is flat and low-lying. The Dutch have long relied on windmills to drain land for agriculture and habitation. This model is a scaled-down version of the kind of technology that would have been essential for the economic survival of the Netherlands. But this is a model, not the real thing. Its purpose may have been educational, a teaching aid used to demonstrate the principles of wind power. Or perhaps it was simply a toy, a miniature version of the adult world, reflecting a culture deeply shaped by the use of wind power. As art historians, we look to sources like historical documents, maps, and technical drawings to understand better the significance of this little machine. Its meaning is contingent on historical context.