Warship and Several Boats c. 18th century

Editor: Here we have Cornelis Ploos van Amstel’s "Warship and Several Boats." It’s a detailed line drawing, and the sails seem to dominate the scene. What do you see in this piece? Curator: This print intrigues me because of its reproduction technique mimicking etching, connecting it to debates about artistic labor. It's not just about the image, but the means of its production and distribution. How does the materiality of the print – the paper, the ink, the lines – inform your understanding of the depicted maritime power? Editor: I see. So it's not just about the ships, but how the artist made the image of them. Curator: Exactly. The act of creating the print, the materials used, and the accessibility of such images speak volumes about the social and economic contexts of the time. Editor: That's a new way of looking at it for me!