Artwork
H Beard Print Collection
H Beard Print Collection is a print by the Romanticist artist Pietersz Barbiers. It dates from 11 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. This print records a historic disaster: the conflagration that engulfed Amsterdam's New Theatre, known as the Schouwburg, on 11 May 1772.
About this work
Overview
This print records a historic disaster: the conflagration that engulfed Amsterdam's New Theatre, known as the Schouwburg, on 11 May 1772. Rendered in the medium of print, the image serves as a visual document of the event, preserving details of the blaze for contemporary and later audiences.
Subject & Meaning
The composition focuses on the dramatic scene of flames consuming the theatre's structure, emphasizing the scale of destruction and the vulnerability of cultural venues. By portraying the fire, the work reflects contemporary concerns about public safety and the loss of a prominent civic institution.
Artist & collection
Artist
Dutch printmaker of the late 1700s, Barbiers carved city scenes that feel like postcards before photography.
