How the Netherlands shaped a global network

Maritime trade played a decisive role in the rise of the Netherlands during the early modern period. Through shipping routes, exploration, and commerce, the country established connections that extended far beyond Europe. The Rijksmuseum collections preserve this history through maps, ship models, paintings, and navigational instruments.

These objects tell the story of a nation built on movement and exchange. Ports, fleets, and merchants transformed Dutch cities into centers of global interaction. Art from this period reflects both ambition and control, portraying the sea as a source of wealth, risk, and national identity.

Within the Rijksmuseum, maritime collections offer insight into the economic and cultural forces that shaped the Dutch Golden Age. They reveal how global trade influenced daily life, artistic production, and the Netherlands’ place in the world.