Brand te Hilversum, 1766 1766

This drawing, made in 1766 by the artist known only as Monogrammist FVH, illustrates the fire of Hilversum. Predominantly monochromatic, the drawing's composition is dramatically bisected: the lower half depicts orderly townspeople and fields, while the upper half is dominated by billowing smoke and flames. The stark contrast between the calm foreground and the chaotic background introduces a semiotic tension. The smoke, rendered in soft, cloud-like forms, paradoxically obscures yet defines the extent of the destruction, acting as a visual signifier of the unseen havoc. Note how the artist uses the linear precision of the town's architecture to underscore the vulnerability of order against the formless, destructive force of fire. This artwork uses form to investigate themes of order and chaos, control and destruction. The drawing doesn't just depict an event; it uses its formal elements to provoke questions about the precariousness of human constructions.