Vu over nordøst og nordvest hjørnerne af Grand Place efter bombardementet i 1695 1695 - 1795

Augustin Coppens created this drawing of the Grand Place in Brussels after the 1695 bombardment, using pen and brown wash. The initial impression is one of stark devastation rendered through Coppens' strategic use of line and shadow. The composition is structured to draw the eye into the scene of destruction. Notice how the skeletal remains of the buildings loom against the sky. The architectural ruins and rubble fill the foreground. These forms lead our gaze towards the horizon, dotted with further signs of ruin. Coppens uses the formal qualities of perspective and scale to emphasize the overwhelming impact of the bombardment. The monochromatic palette underscores the somber mood, challenging viewers to confront the grim realities of war. The drawing serves not just as a historical document but as a meditation on the fragility of human achievements. It destabilizes conventional notions of architectural permanence and reflects the post-structuralist idea that meaning is contingent. The city's destruction is not just a physical event but a rupture in the cultural and historical narrative.