Nah am Strand ein großes Schiff, links am Strand ein absegelndes Boot 

Editor: This drawing, titled "Nah am Strand ein großes Schiff, links am Strand ein absegelndes Boot"—"Near the beach a large ship, a boat sailing away to the left on the beach"—by Ludolf Backhuysen, seems to capture a bustling harbour scene, rendered in ink and chalk. There's so much activity hinted at; I'm curious, what can you tell me about this piece? Curator: Let’s consider the context of this drawing. Backhuysen lived and worked in Amsterdam, a major center of global trade in the 17th century. The drawing materials themselves – the chalk and ink – are relatively inexpensive and readily available. Think about the maritime industry’s relationship to the widespread availability of such materials and to paper itself. Editor: I see what you mean. The materials aren't precious, but the scene depicts a source of incredible wealth. Does the medium relate to the scene it portrays, maybe suggesting that wealth accumulation requires readily available resources? Curator: Precisely. The accessibility of these materials democratized image-making to some degree, moving art production from exclusive workshops to something more tied to the booming Dutch economy. Note how the scene focuses on maritime activity, which speaks volumes about Dutch society’s dependence on sea trade and the labor it requires. How might we see that labor reflected, or not, in this piece? Editor: It’s interesting. We see the large ship, but also the smaller boat closer to the shore. Maybe Backhuysen is emphasizing that maritime trade touches everyone, from the wealthiest merchants to the laborers on the docks. Thank you, I'm starting to see how the artwork’s meaning comes from this intersection of materials, labor, and economic activity. Curator: Indeed, it urges us to look beyond aesthetics and explore the conditions that enabled its creation and shaped its content.