Het ontploffen van het Nederlandse oorlogschip Alphen voor Curacao, 1778 1778 - 1780

"Het Springen van 's Lands Oorlogschip Alphen voor Curacao, den 15 September 1778" is an etching by Simon Fokke, created between 1778 and 1780, which depicts the explosion of the Dutch warship Alphen off the coast of Curacao. The image captures the dramatic event with a focus on the mushroom cloud of smoke and debris rising from the ship as it explodes, with smaller pieces of the ship flying through the air. This scene, likely based on eyewitness accounts, exemplifies the artist's talent for capturing the dynamism of a historical event. Currently, the artwork is housed at the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, Netherlands.