Schepen in het Kanaal Possibly 1779 - 1787

Jan Brandes created this watercolor, "Schepen in het Kanaal," likely around the late 18th century. Brandes was a Dutch minister, artist, and world traveler. The ships depicted in the Channel connect to the larger context of maritime trade and colonialism. These vessels are not simply objects; they are tools that facilitated the movement of goods, people, and power across the globe. They also facilitated the transatlantic slave trade, the transport of enslaved Africans to the Americas. Consider the cultural exchange – both forced and voluntary – that occurred through maritime routes. The ships facilitated not only economic exchange, but also the movement of ideas, beliefs, and cultural practices. In that context, these watercolor ships become symbols of cultural encounter, with all its complexities and contradictions. These ships in the Channel offer us a glimpse into a world shaped by exploration, trade, and the entwined histories of Europe and the wider world.