Gezicht op de timmerwerf van de VOC 1744

Andreas Hofer created this image of the VOC shipyard using etching. The composition is neatly divided into layers. At the bottom, water fowl float in the lower register, establishing a tranquil foreground. Above, rows of pilings define a clear horizon line. The shipyard buildings form another band, leading the eye towards a central flag atop a tall mast. The sky, filled with wispy clouds, provides a soft backdrop. The etching's linear precision and spatial organization reflect the VOC's own structured approach to global trade. Each element is rendered with clarity, mirroring the company’s ambition to control and categorize the world through commerce. The arrangement evokes a sense of order and control. Consider how the artist uses linear perspective not just to depict the shipyard but to suggest the imposing reach and systematic nature of the Dutch East India Company's operations.