Door de bliksem gespleten boom in het Haagse Bos 1807

Hendrik Schwegman created this drawing of a tree struck by lightning in the Haagse Bos with pen and brush in gray ink. The composition divides the scene into distinct zones: the detailed foreground, occupied by figures and the fallen tree, and the dense, shadowy background of the forest. The stark contrast between light and shadow accentuates the drama of the scene. The broken tree becomes a powerful symbol of nature's destructive force. This dramatic depiction of nature’s power is typical of the late 18th-century aesthetics that sought to evoke awe and terror. The image is structured not just by its representational content but also by a deep engagement with the sublime. Schwegman's drawing destabilizes the conventional pastoral landscape by introducing an element of chaos. The image thus offers a stage for interpreting themes of power and the fragility of existence.