Artwork
Fire in the Old City Hall of Amsterdam
Fire in the Old City Hall of Amsterdam is a paint painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Aert van der Neer. It dates from 1657 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Fire in the Old City Hall of Amsterdam, painted in 1657 by Aert van der Neer, is a nocturnal landscape depicting a catastrophic fire engulfing the historic building, set against a dark, moonless night sky.
Subject & Meaning
The painting captures the chaos and distress of a sudden disaster, with figures in the foreground exhibiting panic and attempts to escape or combat the flames, conveying the overwhelming impact of the event.
Technique & Style
Van der Neer employed chiaroscuro, leveraging strong light-dark contrasts from the fire's glow against the night, to amplify the dramatic intensity of the scene, characteristic of his firelit nocturne specialty.
History & Provenance
Created during the Dutch Golden Age, the work is now part of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin's collection, reflecting Van der Neer's niche within the period's landscape painting, distinct from contemporaries like Cuyp and Hobbema.
Context
This piece exemplifies Van der Neer's focus on atmospheric night scenes, often illuminated by fire or moonlight, a unique bent among his peers, who more commonly depicted serene, daylight landscapes.
Artist & collection
Artist
Aert van der Neer, or Aernout or Artus (c. 1603 – 9 November 1677), was a landscape painter of the Dutch Golden Age, who specialized in small night scenes lit only by moonlight and fires, and snowy winter landscapes,…
Fire in the Old City Hall of Amsterdam
Burning of the Old Amsterdam Town Hall
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Fire in the City – Palace in the Fire
Fire at Amsterdam by Night
The ruins of the old town hall of Amsterdam after the fire of 7 July 1652
Fire at Amsterdam by Night
The old Regulierspoort in Amsterdam during Winter
Fire in a Village