Nocturnal Fire and Looting in a Town
1661
From the collection of Statens Museum for Kunst
This black-and-white scene shows a chaotic nighttime attack on a small town. Buildings burn in the background, with smoke rising into the dark sky. In the foreground, soldiers on horseback clash with people on the ground, some lying scattered. The lighting is dramatic, with shadows making everything look tense and urgent. The artist used strong contrasts between light and dark to create drama. This style was common in the Baroque period, where artists often emphasized movement and emotion. Next, look up the movement: Baroque to see how this style shaped art.
