The Cog Boat Borne by Mercury, Hercules, Minerva and Neptune c. 1651 - 1652

Editor: This terracotta sculpture, "The Cog Boat Borne by Mercury, Hercules, Minerva and Neptune," was created around 1651-1652 by Artus Quellinus. The figures strain beneath the weight of what appears to be a large boat or vessel. What do you make of this work? Curator: The overwhelming visual language speaks volumes about power, doesn't it? We see these classical figures, divinities themselves, burdened. Consider the socio-political context: the Dutch Republic's burgeoning maritime power and its dependence on both mythology and mercantile prowess. This sculpture encapsulates a historical shift – from reliance on divine intervention towards recognizing the labor and burdens of colonial trade. Editor: So, you’re saying it’s not just a celebration of mythology, but a commentary on the cost of empire? Curator: Exactly. Who benefits, and at what expense? This sculpture almost satirizes the glorification of trade by making those seemingly powerful figures burdened. Where do you see the labor implied here? Editor: Well, there is their positioning: Neptune, Hercules, Minerva, and Mercury bear all the burden. Curator: They are the visual representation of state ideologies supporting colonial and trade agendas. Quellinus invites us to examine the ethics and responsibility intertwined with this power, subtly critiquing the period's imperialistic ambitions. It encourages critical examination, moving beyond celebratory narratives of state and economy to address the lived realities and obscured violence that form an empire. Editor: That’s a really interesting way to view what I initially perceived as a purely historical artwork! It really connects the past to issues that still persist today, and it forces us to confront difficult conversations that help reveal empire's complexities.