Ruïnes in de Bergstraat te Brussel, 1695 1695 - 1711

This etching by Pieter Schenk, titled *Ruïnes in de Bergstraat te Brussel, 1695*, depicts the ruins of Brussels' Bergstraat after a fire in 1695. The viewer is positioned within the ruins, looking out at a panorama of rubble. The prominent church in the distance is the Cathedral of St. Michael and St. Gudula. This work is a valuable historical document, providing insight into the impact of the fire and the state of the city following the disaster. This detailed illustration is a great example of the 17th-century Dutch Golden Age of printmaking, in which artists like Schenk were producing high-quality prints of landscapes and scenes of everyday life. The Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam is home to this work, offering an opportunity for audiences to view the devastating effects of the fire on the city.