Raderstoomboot op de Schelde bij Antwerpen 1845

Egidius Linnig made this drawing of a paddle steamer on the Schelde near Antwerp in 1847, using pen in brown and gray ink on paper. The steamboat itself is a monument to industry, with its reliance on coal, iron, and the labor of engineers and stokers. Look closely at the way Linnig has rendered it. Every line speaks to the mechanization of modern life, from the precise geometry of the paddle wheel to the plume of smoke rising from the vessel’s stack. The drawing is a direct celebration of industry and technology. Consider the broader context: the 19th century saw an explosion of industrial production, transforming urban centers like Antwerp. Linnig's rendering emphasizes the steamboat as a symbol of progress, but we might also see it as a harbinger of the social and environmental changes wrought by industrialization. This work encourages us to consider the intersection of technology, labor, and landscape in shaping our world.