Compass Card 1825 - 1849

Editor: Here we have Jan Marten Kleman’s “Compass Card,” dating from 1825 to 1849. It’s a small, detailed piece using drawing, print, and metalworking. The craftsmanship is really remarkable. It almost feels like a symbol, yet also very practical. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This compass card is a fascinating object, less about navigation and more about the historical and social contexts it evokes. It reflects an era defined by global exploration and, undeniably, colonial expansion. The compass, at its core, facilitated these movements, embodying a nexus of power, trade, and cultural exchange—often unequal and exploitative. Does the fragility of the object strike you at all? Editor: It does! Considering it was made to direct big ships around the world, its delicacy is striking. The paper and metal seem quite fragile now. How do you think its miniature quality fits into its broader historical context? Curator: Its miniature scale invites us to consider its function as a potential tool of learning and societal navigation. These navigational technologies further promoted concepts of racial and cultural hierarchies, creating divisions through exploitation. Also, think about who had access to these items. What populations did it empower and what communities did it endanger? Editor: That's a perspective I hadn't considered. So, it's less about the beautiful craft and more about questioning its role within larger structures of dominance and control? Curator: Precisely. Its elegance, for whom was it meant? Was it made to navigate empires, not just oceans, guiding the hand of power across maps and cultures? The ‘Academic art’ style makes it quite telling who was calling the shots at the time it was made. Editor: Wow, I didn't think this small compass card could open up such a large discussion about history, gender, and politics. Curator: That’s the power of art – revealing the layers of our past and prompting reflection. These art pieces reflect gender imbalances of who got to explore versus who was left at home. Hopefully this object will bring more global awareness moving forward.