Model of the Fore Part of a 32-Gun Floating Battery 1859

This is a model of the fore part of a 32-gun floating battery, constructed by Rijkswerf Vlissingen. This model offers a glimpse into the intricate world of naval engineering and maritime power, but also the labor and resources that fuel it. During the height of naval power, ships were not just vessels of trade and exploration but also instruments of colonial expansion and domination. These floating fortresses symbolize a complex web of power dynamics. The construction of such vessels relied heavily on exploited labor, from enslaved Africans in the Americas producing raw materials to indentured servants and marginalized communities working in shipyards. While the model represents technological advancement, it is crucial to acknowledge the human cost associated with it. It serves as a reminder of the many hands, often coerced and unseen, that contributed to shaping the world we inhabit today. How might viewing this model prompt reflection on the legacies of colonialism, exploitation, and resistance?