Schetsblad met zeilschepen en raderboten 1820 - 1872

This sheet of sketches showing sailing ships and paddle steamers was made by Hendrik Abraham Klinkhamer in the Netherlands, most likely in the mid-19th century. Shipping was vital to the Dutch economy in this period, and Klinkhamer's choice of subject matter reflects the cultural importance of maritime activity. The sketch includes both traditional sailing vessels and the newer paddle steamers, visually encapsulating a moment of technological transition. Shipping and marine technology were intensely cultivated in the Netherlands at this time, supported by institutions dedicated to naval history and technological advancement. Artists like Klinkhamer both benefited from and contributed to this culture, producing images that documented and celebrated Dutch maritime prowess. To fully understand sketches like this, historians can draw on a wide range of resources, including shipping records, technical drawings, and contemporary accounts of maritime life. The meaning of art, we find, is always contingent on its social and institutional context.