Study of a Ship c. 1617 - 1620

Editor: Here we have Willem Pietersz. Buytewech’s "Study of a Ship." It's a delicate drawing of a ship, simple but precise. What can you tell me about it? Curator: Consider the materials. Ink and paper—common goods fueling global trade just as much as the ship it depicts. Think of the labor, from the paper mill to the shipyard, all contributing to this image. Editor: That's fascinating! So, you're saying the drawing itself is a product of the same economic forces as the ship? Curator: Precisely. Buytewech shows us not just a vessel, but a nexus of material culture and social production. Editor: I never would have looked at it that way. Thanks! Curator: My pleasure. It's all about considering the object’s full lifecycle and its relation to the world around it.