Zeilschepen op zee c. 1825 - 1875

Petrus Johannes Schotel rendered these Zeilschepen op zee with pen and brush in grey ink, sometime between 1808 and 1865. Schotel’s choice of grey ink brings a moody atmosphere to the composition. Its diluted, translucent quality perfectly mimics the visual effect of a storm brewing at sea. The linear strokes of the pen define the rigging and outlines of the ships, whilst the brushwork captures the dynamism of the water. Schotel was part of a long tradition of maritime painting in the Netherlands, reflecting the nation's deep connection to seafaring and trade. The subject matter speaks to labor, politics and consumption. The ships represent not only a crucial means of transportation and trade, but also the manpower required to sail and maintain them, the economic exchange they enable. The use of ink on paper lends an immediacy and sketch-like quality. By choosing these materials Schotel bridges the gap between fine art and more quotidian forms of representation, reminding us that all making is a form of skilled labor, regardless of the medium.