Schepen voor een rotskust c. 1841 - 1865

Petrus Johannes Schotel made this pencil drawing titled 'Ships off a Rocky Coast' sometime in the mid-19th century. Schotel was one of many Dutch artists who turned to marine subjects during the period, reflecting the maritime history and economic importance of the Netherlands. However, unlike some of his contemporaries, Schotel doesn't idealize or romanticize the scene. Instead, there’s an emphasis on the raw, unadorned structures of the ships and the starkness of the coast. It is almost as if Schotel is interested in the technology that makes maritime trade and travel possible. This drawing then captures a moment when the Netherlands were at the forefront of global trade, with a powerful merchant fleet dominating the seas. To understand Schotel’s vision, we can look to archives of maritime history and the records of shipbuilding industries. In doing so, we can discover how deeply entwined art is with the social and economic forces that shape its creation.