Roeiboot vaart richting wachtend schip 1747 - 1813

Pierre Ozanne created this print, "Rowboat sailing towards a waiting ship," in the 18th century using etching. Ozanne, a marine engineer, and designer, came from a family of artists and engineers who served the French crown. It’s difficult to look at this image of maritime transport outside of the context of colonialism and slavery. A small rowboat heads towards a large ship full of people. We are left to wonder, who are these people? Are they merchants? Are they sailors, explorers, colonizers? Or, are they enslaved people being delivered to a new world? The ship is a potent symbol, signifying travel, commerce, and connection, but also of displacement, exploitation, and the brutal realities of maritime power. As you consider this artwork, reflect on the complex layers of history and human experience that it evokes, and its relation to contemporary society.