Catalogue information
Steamship with 14 masts. At first glance, this appears to be a gigantic steamship with no fewer than fourteen masts. But the reality behind the image is far less spectacular. At the beginning of the 20th century, so-called "exaggerated postcards" were very popular. Photographers took a picture of a typical freighter and then manipulated it using early photographic techniques. By extending parts of the photo or pasting multiple pieces together, the ship suddenly appeared much larger than it actually was. The basis of the image was likely a regular steam freighter of the period, possibly an early type of whaleback or some other type of freighter. By repeatedly repeating the central section and the masts, the creator created an absurdly long "supership" that never actually existed. These kinds of images were often sold as postcards or souvenirs. They were intended as a joke or curiosity, similar to postcards showing enormous rabbits or giant potatoes. For many people who had never visited major ports like Rotterdam or Hamburg, such images were a fun way to impress the folks back home.
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