Schip slaat tijdens een storm op de rotsen 1717 - 1732

Pieter van den Berge made this print of a shipwreck in the late 17th or early 18th century in the Netherlands. It depicts a ship being torn apart by a storm against a rocky coast, a scene of maritime disaster. The image creates meaning through dramatic visual codes: the jagged rocks, the broken ship, the storm clouds and lightning all contribute to a sense of chaos and destruction. This imagery would resonate deeply with the Dutch, a maritime nation heavily reliant on sea trade, but constantly threatened by the power of the ocean. The print comments on the social structures of its time, in that the Dutch Golden Age was characterized by a complex relationship with the sea, both as a source of prosperity and a force of destruction. To fully understand this image, historians might consult shipping records, weather reports, and maritime insurance documents from the period. The meaning of this image is contingent on its social and institutional context.