Who painted Landscape with Burning City?

Landscape with Burning City was painted by Herri met de Bles in 1500.

Where can I see Landscape with Burning City?

Landscape with Burning City is held by Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

What movement is Landscape with Burning City?

Landscape with Burning City is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Artwork

Landscape with Burning City

Herri met de Bles , 1500

Landscape with Burning City is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Herri met de Bles. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts Boston.

About this work

Overview

Created around 1500 by the Flemish painter Herri met de Bles, this oil on canvas presents a panoramic view of a city ablaze. The composition is dominated by a sweeping landscape that recedes into the distance, while a tumult of vessels and flames occupies the foreground, drawing the eye toward the inferno consuming the urban center.

Subject & Meaning

The work juxtaposes a tranquil, rocky terrain with the violent destruction of a metropolis, suggesting themes of catastrophe and human vulnerability. Small figures and ships caught in the chaos serve as narrative details, emphasizing the scale of the disaster and inviting contemplation of the forces—whether natural or human—that can overturn civilization.

Technique & Style

Bles employs a high, aerial viewpoint typical of early Netherlandish landscape painters, using atmospheric perspective to convey depth. The oil medium allows for nuanced gradations of light and shadow, while the contrast between illuminated flames and darkened sky demonstrates a keen use of chiaroscuro, enhancing the scene’s dramatic tension.

History & Provenance

The painting entered the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston, where it remains on view. Its attribution to Herri met de Bles aligns it with the artist’s broader output, which helped define landscape painting in the Northern Renaissance alongside contemporaries such as Joachim Patinir.