Scherf van een kruik uit de Oost-Indiëvaarder 't Vliegend Hart 1700 - 1735

This is a shard of a jug from the East Indiaman 't Vliegend Hart. The anonymous maker created this object, whose date remains unknown, from fired clay. Observe the texture and muted color of the fragment. The rough, uneven surface, marked by time and the sea, speaks to its fragmented nature. Its ochre hues are punctuated by flecks of grey and brown which perhaps evoke feelings of decay. As a broken remnant, the shard invites us to consider the relationship between part and whole. In its incompleteness, it also suggests an absence. It destabilizes our understanding of form and function and shifts the viewer's focus to its material presence as an object. It offers a silent commentary on time, memory, and the transient nature of objects. Consider how the shard's materiality engages with our understanding of history and how a single artifact can encapsulate stories of trade, exploration, and loss. This fragment invites an ongoing interpretation of its cultural significance.