Een overstroming in de omgeving van Amsterdam (of Zaandam), 15 november 1775 Possibly 1775 - 1801

Editor: So, here we have Jacobus Buys' drawing "A flood in the surroundings of Amsterdam (or Zaandam), 15 November 1775," likely made between 1775 and 1801 using pen and ink. It feels almost like a quick sketch, capturing a really chaotic scene. What strikes you when you look at it? Curator: Oh, this isn't just chaos, it's raw, urgent storytelling. I imagine Buys, right there amidst the flooded landscape, quickly sketching the scene with frantic strokes. Can't you almost feel the cold, wet ink mirroring the deluge around him? The upturned gestures of the people—are they praying, cursing the skies, or desperately signalling for help? Editor: That's a powerful image! The urgency definitely comes across. But is that church tower I spy in the distance? It grounds the scene despite all the turmoil. Curator: Exactly! It's that single landmark of stability in a world turned upside down. The water level's high enough to sweep away lives, livestock and livelihoods in an instant! And see how he’s captured those panicked sheep? Reminds me a bit of a biblical exodus, only much, much wetter! Editor: So it's about more than just recording a historical event? Curator: Oh, absolutely. The Romantics, remember, loved this stuff. The drama! The sublime terror of nature! Buys gives us not just an event, but the emotional gut-punch that went with it. Editor: I see it now. It's both a historical record and a really intense emotional experience. Thanks for that perspective! Curator: My pleasure. Every great work offers us not just something to see, but something to feel, to remember, and this ink-wash nightmare truly lingers in the mind long after you turn away.