Zeilwagen van Simon Stevin (linkerplaat), 1602 1603 - 1652

Willem van Swanenburg created this print in 1602, depicting Simon Stevin's sail-powered carriage. The print invites us to consider the spectacle of innovation amidst the backdrop of early modern Dutch society. Against a serene coastal scene, we see men on horseback and other figures on foot. Class distinctions are clearly marked through dress and activity, with the elite engaging with the invention, while others labor nearby. What does it mean to bring a machine of the future to a society steeped in tradition and hierarchy? What does it mean to be earthbound, sea bound, or wind bound? Swanenburg highlights the carriage itself, a symbol of Dutch ingenuity and ambition during the Golden Age. This ambition, however, was also deeply entangled with complex social structures. The sail-powered carriage is more than a technological marvel; it is a vehicle carrying the weight of societal expectations and class divisions.