Model of Steering Gear 1867 - 1868

This wooden model by Adriaan Rosel presents the steering gear of a vessel, a complex of ropes and bars, a symbol of human ingenuity harnessed to navigate the unpredictable waters. Consider how, since antiquity, the ship has served as a metaphor for the journey of life, a vessel navigating the seas of fate. The steering gear, then, becomes a powerful symbol of control and direction. It is a constant motif in the Odyssey, where the steering of Odysseus’s ship represents his will to come back to Ithica. This apparatus, linking the sailor's hand to the ship's course, reminds us of the intertwined destinies of man and machine, resonating with our primal desires to master the environment. The wheel, an ancient emblem found in diverse cultures, embodies the cyclical nature of existence, but here it is transmuted into a tool for forward progression, a symbol of hope and conquest against the dark, unknowable depths. This model, in its careful detail, connects us to a long line of mariners and explorers and their psychological preparedness to face the unknown, armed with their technical skills and determination.