Plundering and Burning a Village
1642
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1642
ink
paper
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Plundering and Burning a Village is a 1642 ink by Gerrit van Schagen, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a chaotic village under attack. Soldiers with guns and torches are burning houses, while villagers run in panic. Animals scatter, and some people lie on the ground. A church stands in the background, but it’s not spared—smoke rises from its roof. The artist used sharp lines to show the chaos, making every detail feel urgent. The text below is in French, describing how the soldiers take prisoners and destroy everything. Next, check out etching to see how artists like this one carved images into metal plates.
