Model of an Apparatus for Inspecting Ships under Water c. 1800 - 1858

This is Olke Uhlenbeck's model of an apparatus for inspecting ships under water. It's made of brass. The geometric framework immediately strikes us. Notice how the lines converge and diverge, creating a dynamic interplay reminiscent of ancient cosmologies, where geometric shapes symbolized the order of the universe. Consider how the cage-like structure, with its parallel bars, evokes a sense of enclosure, perhaps mirroring the experience of being submerged underwater. The grid here reminds one of similar patterns in Renaissance art. Artists like Leonardo da Vinci would use grids in their preparatory sketches, not only as a tool for accurately transferring images but also as a means of imposing structure on the chaos of reality. The grid has been employed in diverse times and places, ranging from ancient city planning to abstract art, each time embodying this human impulse to measure and categorize the world. Let us contemplate how Uhlenbeck’s construction subtly engages our own sense of sight, transforming our visual experiences.