De sloop van een oud schip, plaat nr. 15, ca. 1700 1690 - 1710

Around 1700, Sieuwert van der Meulen created this print, titled "The Demolition of an Old Ship, Plate No. 15,” now held at the Rijksmuseum. In this work, we witness not just the dismantling of a ship, but perhaps a broader commentary on the transience of power and the relentless march of time. The print invites reflection on the human cost of maritime trade, and the environmental impact of shipbuilding and disposal in the 18th century. There’s a melancholy to the scene, as if the ship itself is a fallen hero, stripped of its former glory. The print offers an alternative narrative to the heroic tales of seafaring, focusing instead on the mundane and often unseen labor of destruction. There is a human element in the print; you can almost hear the sounds of labor and feel the weight of the ship's history. Ultimately, van der Meulen's print reminds us that every creation, no matter how grand, is destined to return to its constituent parts.