The Most Terrible Night. View of Kongens Nytorv in Copenhagen During the English Bombardement of Copenhagen at Night between 4 and 5 September 1807

The scene portrays a densely populated square illuminated by the flames of a burning church spire. Pedestrians and horse‑drawn carriages scramble away, while a bronze equestrian statue remains oddly composed at the centre, suggesting a contrast between civic order and the surrounding panic caused by the attack.

Lorentzen employs a vigorous, impasto application of dark pigments to convey movement and tension. Strong chiaroscuro contrasts the orange‑red glow of the fire against deep shadows, heightening the drama. The brushwork is deliberately thick, giving the smoke and flickering light a tactile presence.

Created in the immediate aftermath of the 1807 bombardment, the painting served as a contemporary visual record of the event. It entered the national collection of Denmark’s Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains on display as a historical document of the city’s wartime experience.

The English bombardment was part of the Napoleonic Wars, aimed at neutralizing the Danish fleet. Lorentzen’s work reflects the broader European trend of history painting that combined documentary detail with emotive composition, documenting national trauma through a dramatic visual narrative.