Zeilschepen voor een kust c. 1825 - 1875

Petrus Johannes Schotel made this drawing of sailing ships off a coast in the Netherlands sometime in the mid-19th century. It's a simple sketch, but it offers insight into the changing landscape of Dutch maritime power at the time. Schotel seems to be interested in capturing the contrast between old and new modes of transport. We can see this in the way he positions a traditional sailing ship next to what appears to be a modern steamship. Holland was one of the great seafaring powers of the 17th century, with the Dutch East India company dominating global trade. By the 19th century, however, the Dutch merchant fleet was in decline. This picture might represent an elegy to that lost age, or, perhaps, a cautious welcome to the dawning of a new one. By researching Dutch social and economic history of the period, we can learn a great deal about the image's cultural significance. Art is always a product of its time, so understanding that time is critical to understanding the art.