Half Model of a Screw Steamer 1857

This is a half model of a screw steamer, created by Rijkswerf Vlissingen. The piece speaks to the intersection of maritime innovation and labor history. The shipyards of the Netherlands were not just places of technological advancement; they were crucibles where identities were forged through labor. These shipyards were often sites of intense social stratification, where race and class determined one's role and prospects. The construction of ships like these relied on the backs of countless workers, many of whom were marginalized. Their stories are often missing from the official narratives. In the context of colonial expansion, these vessels facilitated trade and exerted power across the globe. The model invites us to consider the human costs of maritime progress, to reflect on the lives and labor that propelled these machines of trade and conquest across the seas.