Three men wearing hats standing in center, men fixing a ship to right, five ships and various figures in center background, from 'Set of eight nautical landscapes' (Suite de huit Marines) 1639

Stefano della Bella created this print, part of a series of nautical landscapes, using etching. Della Bella worked during a period of intense maritime activity and naval expansion in Europe. His focus on nautical scenes reflects the economic and strategic importance of the sea during the 17th century. Consider the people populating this scene. Who built the ships? Who manned them? Who funded these ventures, and who benefitted from them? The ships signify trade, exploration, and, let's not forget, colonization. These ships were essential to the economy and also instruments of power. Ships are sites of cultural exchange. The ships stand as silent witnesses to the countless untold stories of those who traversed the seas, whether by choice or by force. Della Bella shows the quiet before the storm, the calm that belies the stories the ships contain. The scene is a moment of reflection on the human dramas played out on the high seas.