Outgoing ship 1533

Editor: This is Hans Holbein the Younger's "Outgoing Ship" from 1533, created with ink on paper. It has a real sense of movement, capturing the hustle of seafaring. What can you tell us about it? Curator: Holbein's ship offers us a glimpse into the early modern period, a time defined by European expansion and its brutal consequences. Beyond a simple depiction, I see a complex portrait of power dynamics, reflecting both opportunity and exploitation. What do you think about the figures populating the ship? Editor: They seem busy, some are working while others observe, a mixture of classes maybe? Is this perhaps about trade, or something more politically charged? Curator: Precisely! Consider the economic systems developing at the time, powered by global trade routes built on the backs of colonization and enslavement. Holbein, even subtly, inserts his ship into the larger narrative of 16th-century wealth accumulation and movement, facilitated by maritime ventures. This wasn't just about spices; it was about resources, lands, and human lives reshaped, and often devastated, by European ambition. How might the visual language used reinforce those readings? Editor: I guess the ship's scale emphasises its power and presence? And now I notice the lack of any real expression on the people... an unsettling passivity perhaps? Curator: That's insightful! The detail he dedicates to the ship’s structure compared to the somewhat anonymous figures onboard can tell us about societal priorities and power structures embedded in exploration and trade. Seeing those subtle imbalances through drawing makes me reflect on both then and today. Does it do the same for you? Editor: Definitely. I never would have considered the connection with colonialism at first glance. I now see it’s far more than just a ship! Curator: And hopefully that deeper understanding provides space to engage critically and to think about the legacy these voyages had.