Dutch Freighters or Flutes (Naues Mercantoriæ Hollandicæ, vulgo VLIETEN) 1647

Wenceslaus Hollar, a 17th-century Bohemian printmaker, created this etching of Dutch Freighters, or Flutes, using etching. It’s a striking image that speaks to the Netherlands' booming maritime trade and colonial ambitions during the Dutch Golden Age. The scene depicts several Dutch trading ships, each a symbol of economic power and global reach. These ships weren't just vessels of commerce; they were extensions of a culture deeply involved in exploration, exploitation, and exchange. The presence of a small rowboat filled with figures in the foreground hints at the human element within this vast maritime network, perhaps evoking the lives of sailors, merchants, and laborers who were the backbone of this industry. Hollar’s detailed rendering invites us to reflect on the complex intersections of trade, labor, and identity that shaped this era. The etching offers a glimpse into a world where the promise of prosperity was intertwined with the realities of colonialism and the human cost of global commerce.