Brand te Rotterdam, 11 maart 1779

Pieter de Mare created this print, ‘Fire of Rotterdam, March 11, 1779’, depicting a catastrophic fire in Rotterdam. The dominant symbol here is, of course, the fire itself—a motif that has coursed through human consciousness and artistic expression since time immemorial. Fire embodies destruction, chaos, and the ephemeral nature of existence, but also represents purification and renewal. The image of fire as a destroyer echoes in myriad contexts, from the volcanic eruptions of antiquity memorialized in Pompeii, to modern depictions of war and cataclysm. Consider how the dancing flames, rendered here with stark realism, mirror the emotional turmoil and collective trauma experienced by the people of Rotterdam. This resonates with the mythic Phoenix—a symbol of rebirth rising from ashes—reflecting our deepest fears of annihilation but also our hope for regeneration. This elemental power, eternally shifting, reminds us of history's cyclical nature, where destruction invariably paves the way for creation.