Afgemeerde schepen bij een haven c. 1825 - 1875

Petrus Johannes Schotel made this drawing of moored ships in a harbour with pen in gray ink and brush in gray ink. The stark reality of shipbuilding emerges from this seemingly simple sketch. The labor behind these vessels is implied in the precise, technical rendering of the ships' rigging, hulls, and docks. Schotel’s mastery of the pen captures the weight and texture of the wood, the tautness of the ropes, and the gritty atmosphere of the harbor. The artist's hand, guided by a deep understanding of maritime construction, becomes a tool to highlight the immense human effort required to build and maintain these ships. Beyond aesthetics, this drawing serves as a reminder of the economic engine these ships powered. They facilitated trade, transported goods, and connected distant lands. By focusing on the tools and materials of maritime labor, Schotel elevates the everyday into the realm of art. It allows us to reconsider the social and economic forces that shaped the maritime world.