Fire in a town
1670
oil
From the collection of Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
1670
oil
From the collection of Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
This painting shows a town on fire at night. Flames and smoke rise from the buildings, and the sky is filled with smoke. In the foreground, there's a body of water with several boats. On the right side of the painting, there's a sailboat with its sails up. The painting is done in dark colors, with the fire and moonlight creating a contrast between light and dark. The brushstrokes are visible, giving the painting a textured look. The use of chiaroscuro in this painting creates a dramatic effect, highlighting the chaos and destruction of the fire. To see more paintings that use this technique, check out the works of Aert van der Neer.
