C.A. Lorentzen - The Most Terrible Night - 1807-08

 "The Most Terrible Night," painted by C.A. Lorentzen between 1807 and 1808, is a powerful and somber work that likely commemorates a dark chapter in Danish history: the British bombardment of Copenhagen in 1807. Lorentzen was a significant Danish painter from the late 18th and early 19th centuries, bridging the styles of Neoclassicism and early Romanticism.

This painting stands out for its dramatic portrayal of a catastrophic event, capturing a sense of terror and the sublime. It reflects a shift towards more emotional and evocative themes in art, characteristic of the emerging Romantic movement. Through his depiction of this historical ordeal, Lorentzen conveys not just a factual account, but also the profound human experience and national trauma of "the most terrible night."

Source The Most Terrible Night, 1807-08,
C.A. Lorentzen | SMK Open