Ignis (Fire)
1622
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
1622
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Ignis (Fire) is a 1622 ink by Jan van de Velde, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print shows a busy harbor scene. A ship is being loaded with barrels while smoke rises from a chimney. People in old-fashioned clothes stand around, some carrying tools or baskets. In the foreground, a woman pours something into a pot over a fire. The artist used sharp lines to show every detail, from the ropes on the ship to the folds in the clothes. The scene looks crowded but organized. Next, check out etching to see how artists carve images into metal plates.
