Zeilschip 1843 - 1911

Johannes Huygens made this watercolor Zeilschip, or "Sailing Ship," on paper, sometime in the 19th century. Looking at the soft washes of color, it’s easy to forget that this was an industrial age, in which sail power was giving way to steam. Watercolor was considered a genteel pastime, suitable for amateurs, particularly women. But here, the artist seems to be making a point of dwelling on this older, slower technology. The delicate application of pigment mirrors the quiet labor of those who depended on wind and wave for their livelihoods. Indeed, the very choice of watercolor serves to gently evoke the social context of maritime labor. By embracing this so-called amateur medium, and depicting a humble scene of work, Huygens challenges our assumptions about what subjects and materials are worthy of artistic attention. It reminds us that all art is made by someone, in some place, at some time, and with implications that reach far beyond the aesthetic realm.