Artwork
The fire on the Wharves of Algiers, shortly after the commencement of the Bombardment by the Anglo-Dutch Fleet, 27 August 1816
The fire on the Wharves of Algiers, shortly after the commencement of the Bombardment by the Anglo-Dutch Fleet, 27 August 1816 is an oil painting by Nicolaas Baur. It dates from 1818 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work commemorates a decisive show of European naval power intended to enforce new norms of maritime order.
The painting depicts the British–Dutch naval bombardment of Algiers on 27 August 1816, a punitive strike aimed at ending Algerian privateering and securing the release of Christian captives. In the foreground, a burning waterfront crowding of merchant ships and warehouses contrasts with the disciplined line of Anglo‑Dutch warships delivering broadsides; the Dutch frigate Melampus is prominently identified. The conflagration and billowing smoke dominate the scene, signaling both the fire’s immediate destructiveness and the broader campaign to suppress corsair states along the Barbary Coast.
The work commemorates a decisive show of European naval power intended to enforce new norms of maritime order.
Technique & Style
Created in 1818, this marine painting by Nicolaas Baur is executed in oil paint on a panel support. The work measures 55 cm in height and 76 cm in width, adhering to the formal conventions of the maritime genre. As a depiction of the Bombardment of Algiers, the piece captures the chaotic scene of the wharves on fire shortly after the Anglo-Dutch fleet's attack began on August 27, 1816.
The artist utilizes the oil medium to render the dramatic interplay of light and smoke associated with the naval engagement.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1818 by Nicolaas Baur, who depicted the bombardment of Algiers by the Anglo-Dutch Fleet that took place on 27 August 1816. The work is executed in oil paint and is held in multiple institutional collections, including the Rijksmuseum, Mauritshuis, Fries Museum, and Villa Welgelegen, indicating it passed through several hands before being distributed across these holdings.
No information on a specific commissioner, original patron, or step-by-step ownership chain is documented in the available sources.
The work is jointly held by the Rijksmuseum, the Fries Museum, and the Mauritshuis, with Villa Welgelegen listed among its locations.
The painting is inventoried as SK-C-1996 in the Rijksmuseum’s collection, where it has been exhibited as part of the Dutch maritime holdings.
Overview
Nicolaas Baur’s 1818 oil painting captures a nocturnal harbor in Algiers engulfed in flames shortly after the Anglo‑Dutch fleet opened fire on 27 August 1816. The composition centers on a large vessel blazing amid a dark, smoke‑filled sky, while smaller boats and figures navigate the turbulent waters.
Context
The bombardment was a joint British‑Dutch operation that forced the Dey of Algiers to cease the enslavement of Europeans. Baur’s depiction aligns with contemporary European interest in documenting military successes abroad, serving both as a visual record and a subtle affirmation of Dutch naval involvement.
Own this work as a print
Artist & collection
Women’s Skating Competition on the Stadsgracht in Leeuwarden, 21 January 1809
The Anglo-Dutch Fleet in the Bay of Algiers Backing up the Ultimatum to Release the Christian Slaves, 26 August 1816- The Anglo-Dutch Fleet under Lord Exmouth and Vice Admiral Jonkheer Theodorus Frederik van Capellen putting out the Algerian Strongholds, 27 August 1816
Bombardment of Palembang, Sumatra, by the Dutch Fleet, 24 June 1821
Bombardment of Algiers, in Support of the Ultimatum to Release White Slaves, 26-27 August 1816
The Bombardment of Palembang, Sumatra, 24 June 1821
The Encounter of the Dutch and the English Fleet during the Voyage of the Dutch Flotilla to Boulogne, 1805
Harbor Scene: An English Ship with Sails Loosened Firing a Gun
Bombardment of Algiers by the United Anglo-Dutch Naval Squadron, 1816
Encounter between the English and the Dutch Fleets at La Hogue 29th May 1692
Council of War on board the 'Queen Charlotte', commanded by Lord Exmouth, prior to the Bombardment of Algiers, 26 August 1816
Encounter between the English and the Dutch Fleets at La Hogue 29th May 1692
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