Het optimmeren van het schip van alle zijden, plaat nr. 3, ca. 1700 1690 - 1710

Sieuwert van der Meulen made this print around 1700 using etching and engraving techniques. It depicts shipbuilding in the Netherlands during the height of the Dutch Golden Age. The image provides insight into the economic and social structures of the time. We see the construction and maintenance of ships, which were crucial for trade, exploration, and naval power. This industry would have employed a vast number of skilled workers. Also visible are the architectural styles and urban planning of the period, reflecting the wealth and prosperity of Dutch cities like Amsterdam. We might also consider the role of institutions like the Dutch East India Company, which spurred shipbuilding and maritime commerce. Such companies facilitated global trade networks and colonial expansion, but their operations also raised ethical questions about exploitation and power. By examining historical documents, economic data, and archival records we can better understand this artwork in its full social and institutional context. Art is contingent on these social and institutional contexts.