Sketch of a Sailboat 1648 - 1707

Willem van de Velde II made this sketch of a sailboat in ink on paper. The immediacy and the lack of embellishment give it a functional feel, like a technical drawing. But the way it's been made implies much more. Consider the materials: paper, made of processed plant fibers; and ink, itself a mix of pigment and binder. Van de Velde uses these to capture a vessel that is itself a product of immense labor. The ropes, the sails, the wooden hull, and the labor involved in sailing the boat are all alluded to. The drawing has a directness and lack of artifice, but let’s not forget that this economy of means is also a kind of aesthetic choice. The artist has given us a glimpse into a world of maritime industry, and the cultural importance of seafaring during the Dutch Golden Age. We see how a simple sketch can be so much more.