Vissersboot 1763 - 1805

Curator: David Kleyne's "Vissersboot," made sometime between 1763 and 1805, it’s rendered in pencil and engraving—a striking image of a fishing boat at sea. It is such a captivating drawing, the soft waves appear inviting under this sunny sky, even if its only suggested by shades of grey. Editor: Its delicate lines give it a sense of nostalgia, perhaps reflecting a longing for simpler times and certainly, this boat isn't going anywhere quickly. It gives the impression of a bygone era before rapid industrialisation changed the world. I wonder what realities for fishermen are shown in the original piece of art. Curator: It's interesting that you say that, since for me the image gives the impression of a certain vulnerability. The boat seems so small compared to the immensity of the ocean. I wonder how it was for the fishermen facing this unpredictable force of nature every day to gain an income to live off of. Editor: Absolutely. Consider the fishermen's class positions in 18th century Netherlands too— the people onboard most likely represented a class working the land owned by wealthier merchants in Dutch society. Their families back on land depending on them in dangerous environments, as shown with gentle waves and quiet skies! It brings a perspective to what images like this one really reveal and even obscure. Curator: I’m captivated by the technical skill. The artist managed to convey such subtle details, like the ripples of the water and the texture of the sails, with only pencil and engraving! You’d swear it was painted in layers! And it conveys more depth and story once we contextualize this type of art as a landscape within its temporal conditions. Editor: The very existence of such landscapes at that moment becomes something like resistance—depicting lives outside and between growing forms of labor. As such an advocate of representing social struggles and workers through my art, it is moving for me. Curator: In a way, this piece invites us to find stillness amidst our struggles, doesn’t it? Editor: It's funny, isn’t it? How art from centuries ago can still reflect back at us today and continue to change as history changes!