Fire Scene by Night 1636 - 1664

Curator: Today, we're examining Egbert Lievensz. van der Poel's "Fire Scene by Night," crafted sometime between 1636 and 1664, rendered with oil paint on wood. Editor: Wow, what a powerfully dark scene! It feels… oppressive, doesn’t it? The palette is almost entirely monochrome, and everyone is huddled together—giving the impression that even though there is life there’s nothing vibrant or alive. Curator: Precisely. The somber tonality functions as a conduit for exploring themes of devastation and collective trauma. Note how Van der Poel orchestrates light and shadow—chiaroscuro, as it were—to dramatize the unfolding catastrophe. The fiery glow seems to simultaneously illuminate and consume the figures and their dwellings. Editor: It almost feels like you are in it, doesn’t it? Those deep blacks around the smoke seem to swallow you. And there is almost a surreal calmness with which the figures react to everything around them as they scramble. The high contrast really throws you head-first into a world that, to me, is scary! Curator: True, the monochrome evokes not only the physical darkness of night but also the moral greyness of human suffering during the baroque period, marked by plagues and devastating wars. Van der Poel's use of painting is exemplary. The wood, coupled with broad, visible strokes, provides texture and depth to an otherwise grim vista, highlighting Baroque concerns about representing raw emotion and historical events. Editor: In many ways, it seems counterintuitive: so much dark creating this image about light, the two go hand in hand. To be honest, I didn’t expect this sort of power from what is just painting! Curator: Agreed. “Fire Scene by Night” employs classical Baroque techniques to highlight a distinct emotional experience—one steeped in tragedy, where the visual language is integral to experiencing the art’s visceral effect. Editor: For me, the painting does an excellent job of making what would appear mundane—tragedy, ruin—all the more meaningful with small glimpses of hope in that dark palette. I am always impressed by artworks that bring that out in people.