Gezicht van de zeeslag bij Kopenhagen, 1801 Possibly 1801 - 1807

Peltro William Tomkins created this aquatint etching, "View of the naval battle at Copenhagen, 1801," which commemorates a moment of intense conflict in the Napoleonic Wars. Tomkins, working in a Britain defined by its naval power, presents us with a scene of British military might. Yet, what stories are submerged beneath the glorification of battle? The etching captures the smoke and chaos, but what of the human cost? What of the sailors, many press-ganged into service, facing death and dismemberment? The image evokes the intertwined narratives of nationhood, class, and masculinity in the age of empire. Tomkins offers a vision of grand strategy and heroic engagement. I wonder, however, if we can use it as a point of departure to reflect on the experiences of the individuals who lived and died in service of these larger forces. As a record of a specific historical event, it also prompts us to consider how history is framed, who benefits from its telling, and whose voices remain unheard.