Brand in de Pottebakkerssteeg te Rotterdam, 1779 1779

Leendert Brasser created this etching titled "Fire in the Pottebakkerssteeg in Rotterdam" in 1779. This dramatic scene captures a devastating fire in a densely packed urban neighborhood. It's not just a depiction of destruction; it reflects the social conditions and urban planning challenges of 18th-century Rotterdam. Notice the crowd of onlookers. Their presence speaks to the role of such events as public spectacles, but also to the shared vulnerability of city dwellers to disasters. Rotterdam, like many cities of the time, was largely constructed from wood, making it highly susceptible to fires. The etching serves as a visual record of the city's fragility, hinting at underlying social issues related to urban development and safety regulations. To fully appreciate this work, one can delve into city archives, insurance records, and contemporary accounts of similar disasters. These sources can reveal the human cost of such events, and how institutions responded. This etching reminds us that art is always embedded in a specific social and institutional context.