Schepen in een haven bij zonsondergang 1880 - 1905

Carl Frederick Musans Norman created this photograph of ships in a harbor at sunset, capturing a moment steeped in the socio-economic realities of maritime trade and life in the late 19th century. Norman, who lived through a period of immense change and industrial development, presents us with a scene that romanticizes maritime life, yet we shouldn't overlook the era's colonial and commercial expansion facilitated by these very ships. These vessels were instrumental in global trade networks, which were often exploitative, and represent a complex history of cultural exchange, economic disparity and labor. The photograph's aesthetic evokes a sense of serenity, but it is essential to consider the lives of sailors, merchants, and dockworkers whose livelihoods depended on these ships. Norman prompts us to reflect on labor, and global economic structures, while we contemplate the tranquil beauty of a sunset over a harbor.