Doorbraak van de Rijn- en IJsseldijken 1754

This 1754 etching by Dutch artist Simon Fokke depicts the breaching of the Rhine and IJssel dikes in the Netherlands. The scene unfolds from a bird's eye view, with a map of the affected area prominently displayed in the foreground. Two cherubic figures, likely representing the forces of nature, point to the inundated landscape. This dramatic composition serves as a visual record of the devastating floods that ravaged the region in the early 1750s, reminding viewers of the vulnerability of the Dutch landscape to the forces of nature.