Zeilschip 1797 - 1838

Editor: Here we have "Zeilschip," a drawing of a sailing ship by Johannes Christiaan Schotel, dating sometime between 1797 and 1838. It's graphite on paper, and there's something very sparse about the image. The ship itself is quite detailed, but it’s just a fragment, almost ghostly against all that white space. What do you see when you look at it? Curator: Well, I'm immediately drawn to the labor involved. Think of the timber that was felled, shaped, and transported, and the skill needed to construct such a vessel. Even in this preparatory sketch, Schotel reveals the materiality of maritime commerce. Editor: A preparatory sketch? Is this a study for a larger piece then? Curator: Possibly. Look at the line work—economic, yet descriptive. He's not just depicting a ship, but capturing the physical reality of shipbuilding. Consider, too, the social context: Holland was a major maritime power. These ships weren’t just pretty pictures; they were crucial to trade, colonization, and military strength. Editor: So, it’s not just the artistic process, but also the historical process that makes it significant? Curator: Precisely! And don’t forget the paper itself. Where did that come from? The linen rags, the labor of pulping and pressing. Everything in this image speaks to a chain of production. We should think about who profited from both the construction and the depiction of this ship, and what that tells us about power dynamics at the time. Editor: I hadn’t considered that the paper had its own story to tell! This definitely sheds a new light on the drawing beyond just the representation of the ship. Curator: Exactly, by looking at the materiality, the drawing starts telling richer and unexpected stories.