Driemaster en andere schepen in stil water voor de kade 1834 - 1872

"Driemaster en andere schepen in stil water voor de kade," or "Three-master and other ships in calm water near the quay," is a monochrome watercolor on paper by Frans Arnold Breuhaus de Groot. Painted during a time of vast colonial expansion, the image of ships carries a heavy weight. Though seemingly placid, it reminds us of the machinery of global trade, and the many lives impacted by the restless movements of goods and people across water. De Groot was a Dutch artist, living in a nation whose wealth was tied directly to its maritime power. The calm, muted tones belie the violence and exploitation inherent in this industry. This work invites us to reflect on the complex relationship between the aesthetic beauty of maritime scenes and the economic systems they represent. It compels us to consider whose stories are elevated and whose are obscured within these historical depictions.