Aardbeving te Amsterdam, 1692 1779 - 1781

This is "Aardbeving te Amsterdam, 1692", an engraving made by Simon Fokke. The composition dramatically captures a moment of chaos, using dense cross-hatching to suggest the tremors. The off-kilter church tower and turbulent waters convey the instability of the earthquake, disrupting Amsterdam's urban order. The bridge, crowded with fleeing figures, acts as a visual and symbolic link between the viewer and the unfolding disaster. Fokke's emphasis on disorientation reflects a broader cultural anxiety. The earthquake serves not only as a record but also as a meditation on the fragility of human structures. The lines and forms destabilize our expectations, inviting us to consider how natural events can challenge fixed notions of stability and permanence. This engraving captures the raw energy of a world overturned.