Fire by Night 1636 - 1664

"Fire by Night," painted by Egbert Lievensz. van der Poel between 1636 and 1664, captures a dramatic scene of a fire engulfing a group of buildings. The artist, known for his mastery of depicting nighttime scenes, uses contrasting shades of black and white to depict the smoke and flames rising into the night sky, illuminating the frightened figures watching from below. The painting, currently housed in the SMK - Statens Museum for Kunst, offers a glimpse into the devastating effects of fire in 17th-century Dutch towns, showcasing the artist's ability to convey both the chaos and the somber beauty of such events.