Zeilschip 1797 - 1838

Johannes Christiaan Schotel made this drawing of a sailing ship, sometime before his death in 1838. Schotel lived during a time of Dutch maritime power, when ships were central to trade, exploration, and warfare. The ship in this image has a ghostly quality, its masts barely visible, and the hull is the most prominent feature. If we consider the ship as a metaphor, we can begin to appreciate some of the historical context of this image. The Dutch relied on ships to build a vast colonial empire, which often involved the exploitation and enslavement of people across the world. Even though the ship is a symbol of power and exploration, we must remember that the labor required to build, operate, and maintain these ships often fell upon marginalized groups. It invites us to contemplate the complex relationship between progress, exploitation, and memory.