Half Model of a 54-Gun Ship of the Line c. 1782

Editor: So, here we have a half model of a 54-gun ship of the line, crafted around 1782. It’s anonymous and made of wood, currently residing in the Rijksmuseum. Looking at this, I am struck by the intricacy. It makes me wonder, though, about what the purpose of this kind of model was at the time? Curator: Precisely, let’s think critically about the context. These models weren’t just decorative. They were often used as architectural blueprints of the ship's hull, wouldn’t you agree? Editor: Oh, like a technical drawing, but three-dimensional? Curator: Exactly! Think about the implications of naval power in the 18th century. Who controlled the seas controlled trade, colonization, and sadly, the slave trade. This model isn’t just about aesthetic beauty or technological innovation, it’s deeply embedded in a complex system of power and exploitation, what do you make of this link? Editor: I hadn’t considered the direct connection to colonization and the slave trade. So, the elegance of the Baroque style here almost masks the brutal realities that this ship might have represented? Curator: Precisely. The "anonymous" attribution is also something to ponder, what voices are privileged? By shifting the gaze toward silenced figures or communities that suffer from global expansion we bring historical analysis into current socio-political awareness, don't you agree? Editor: Definitely. It provides a new way of examining the concept and responsibility behind historical curation and its cultural representation. Curator: It does, indeed. Examining art with this critical lens allows us to deconstruct narratives of progress and exposes complicity with various forms of structural inequality and discrimination that extend well into the contemporary context. Editor: This gives me a lot to think about moving forward. Thank you for this insight!