Early 17th century

Large Marine

Artist/maker unknown

With the founding of the Dutch East India Company in 1602, the Netherlands became the most powerful seafaring nation in Europe. Ships departing from the port of Amsterdam, such as those seen here, traveled to Asia and the Americas in an explosion of trade that fueled exploitative colonial empires. As the Dutch East India Company conquered the sea, it also facilitated and participated in the enslavement of people from Africa and enabled the exchange of commodities—including cotton, sugar, and tobacco—produced with enslaved labor. This new intercontinental connection coincided with a period of robust artistic production in the Netherlands. Dutch artists increasingly looked to their surroundings for inspiration, and seascapes became a popular genre.