Ontwerp voor bijlage pensioenbrief Pensioenfonds der NV Stoomvaartmaatschappij Nederland 1874 - 1945

Carel Adolph Lion Cachet rendered this design for the NV Stoomvaartmaatschappij Nederland pension letter in muted tones. Note the circular image resembling a porthole, framing the ship and the laborers unloading cargo. The circle itself, a potent symbol, has wound its way through history since antiquity; consider its appearance encircling the tree of life in early Mesopotamian art. Here, it serves as a lens, focusing our gaze. But let's consider the ship. A vessel laden not only with goods but with the weight of colonial ambition and commerce, cutting through the water. This ship evokes both the promise of progress and the specter of exploitation. The clouds above are similar to those found in Delacroix or Géricault, where they signal tension and the sublime power of nature. In this case, they remind us that the ocean connects disparate shores and conceals both hope and despair. These symbols resonate deeply, evoking centuries of collective memory and emotional associations, subtly influencing our perception.