Model of a 30-Pounder Gun on Deck 1839

This is a scale model of a 30-pounder gun on deck, likely made at the Rijkswerf Vlissingen, a Dutch shipyard. The primary materials are wood and metal, combining the craftsmanship of carpentry with that of a metal forge. The gun and its mounting are meticulously rendered, demonstrating a deep understanding of naval technology. Notice the wood planking, carefully joined to suggest the deck of a warship, and the metalwork of the cannon itself, capturing the weight and menace of the original. Creating such a detailed model involved skilled hands, trained in traditions that blur the line between craft and engineering. But it is important to remember the purpose of such a gun. It symbolizes military power, and the global reach of naval warfare. This model embodies both the ingenuity of its makers, and the economic and political forces that drove its creation. By attending to these tensions, we get a much richer sense of this object’s significance.