Half Model of a 74-Gun Ship of the Line c. 1825 - 1833

This is an anonymous half model of a 74-Gun Ship of the Line, made with unknown materials. It offers us a window into the complex histories of maritime power. Naval vessels like these, were not just instruments of exploration, trade, and warfare, but powerful symbols of national identity and imperial ambition. They were also sites of labor, class divisions, and often, brutal discipline. While the officers came from privileged backgrounds, the sailors were typically working-class men, and sometimes even impressed into service against their will. Moreover, these ships played a central role in the transatlantic slave trade, forcibly transporting millions of Africans across the ocean. This history of exploitation and violence is an integral part of the narrative surrounding these vessels. Even this serene, beautifully crafted model reminds us of the many lives intertwined with the history of maritime power.