Brokken pek/ teer uit het wrak van de Oost-Indiëvaarder Hollandia before 1748

Displayed here at the Rijksmuseum are fragments of pitch and tar, salvaged from the wreckage of the Dutch East Indiaman Hollandia. The composition is stark: several irregularly shaped pieces are scattered across a neutral backdrop, each bearing a unique texture and tone. These aren’t presented as aesthetic objects, but rather as artifacts. The formal qualities of the tar - its coarse surface, the way it reflects and absorbs light - invite us to consider its materiality. As a substance used to seal and protect, it hints at the concealed spaces of the ship, and the human labor involved in shipbuilding and maritime trade. The fragments challenge the very idea of the complete, pristine artwork. Instead, they foreground the process of fragmentation, loss and decay inherent in history. Consider how these unassuming remnants destabilize traditional notions of value and artistry. They invite us to reflect on the transient nature of human endeavors. They function as a powerful symbol, reminding us of the ever-present tension between preservation and oblivion.