Half Model of a 16-Gun Brig c. 1796

This half model of a 16-Gun Brig was made by Jochem Pietersz. Asmus. The model strikes us with its meticulous detail and the stark contrast between the dark, smooth hull and the exposed, grid-like framework beneath. The composition is bisected, presenting a ship both whole and fragmented, its polished exterior juxtaposed with its raw structure. The use of a half model – a literal cross-section – speaks to a deeper exploration of form and function. We see the ship not just as a vessel, but as an intricate assembly of parts, each contributing to the whole. The grid becomes a visual code, a semiotic system representing the underlying architecture of maritime power. This challenges our perception, inviting us to deconstruct the familiar image of a ship into its constituent elements. Consider how this breaking down of form reveals a tension between surface and depth, illusion and reality, suggesting that meaning is not inherent but constructed. Asmus prompts us to reconsider our understanding of what constitutes an object, and how its representation can destabilize established categories.