Model of a Lifeboat c. 1821 - 1827

Editor: This mixed-media sculpture from around 1821-1827, titled "Model of a Lifeboat" and created by A. Scheerboom, is surprisingly delicate. The beige sailcloth contrasts with the darker wood. How do you interpret this piece, especially considering its historical context? Curator: What strikes me is how this object serves as a microcosm of larger societal concerns. Lifeboats, then as now, represent a response to crisis, specifically maritime disasters that disproportionately affected sailors from working-class backgrounds. This model, potentially a commission, becomes a commentary on class, survival, and the narratives we choose to memorialize. How does viewing it as a potential commemorative piece shift your perspective? Editor: That’s fascinating; I hadn’t thought of it as commemorative. Knowing that makes me consider the politics inherent in such a memorial. Who gets remembered, and how? Curator: Exactly. The model almost aestheticizes a technology born of necessity and often, tragedy. We have to question whose perspective is centered in its creation and display. It might seem quaint at first glance, but its existence begs the question: is this honoring the ingenuity and bravery of those who built and manned these lifeboats, or something else? Perhaps something more self-serving for the upper classes? Editor: This definitely provides a more nuanced view. Seeing it as a reflection of social stratification rather than just a historical object is a significant shift. Curator: And that shift encourages us to question the stories objects tell and whose voices are amplified or silenced in the process. This seemingly simple boat model becomes a vessel for understanding larger cultural narratives surrounding class, disaster, and memory.