Model of a Breech-Loading Gun 1863

This is a model of a breech-loading gun, created by Rijkswerf Amsterdam. This model offers a lens through which to consider power and identity during a time of intense global change. In a world increasingly connected through maritime trade and colonial expansion, technological advancements in weaponry were not neutral. These were tools that shaped relationships between nations, influencing trade, and enabling the subjugation of diverse populations. Consider the role of the Rijkswerf, the Dutch state shipyard, in producing such technologies. How did their innovations serve the interests of the Dutch empire, and what was the human cost of these advancements? The creation and distribution of arms like this model facilitated global power dynamics, and the cultural and economic exchange, often at the expense of marginalized communities. Reflect on how instruments of power, like this gun, have shaped our shared history.