ORThe Open Room
Digital gallery
Back to the NGA collection
The image depicts a fiery scene with a burning structure dominating the upper right section. The horizon is faint, with storm clouds above. An ethereal figure is in the clouds to the left. There are dynamic brushstrokes showing movement in the smoke and flames. The color palette includes warm and cool tones, with figures fleeing below the burning building towards the right. Vegetation adds a contrast to the burning architecture.
Read the visual description

The image depicts a fiery scene with a burning structure dominating the upper right section. The horizon is faint, with storm clouds above. An ethereal figure is in the clouds to the left. There are dynamic brushstrokes showing movement in the smoke and flames. The color palette includes warm and cool tones, with figures fleeing below the burning building towards the right. Vegetation adds a contrast to the burning architecture.

National Gallery of Art · Drawing

An Ecclesiastic Building in Flames with Demons Above

Arthur Frederick Payne

Medium
watercolor over graphite on wove paper
Dimensions
overall: 19.6 x 14.5 cm (7 11/16 x 5 11/16 in.)
Classification
Drawing
Accession number
1995.52.132
Credit line
Gift of William B. O'Neal
Time span
1826 to 1850
Department
CG-E
Original NGA record Wikidata

Subjects and terms

  • British
  • profane
  • secular
Provenance

(Bury Street Gallery [William Drummond], London); purchased by William B. O'Neal, Charlottesville, VA, 1985-1994; gift to NGA, 1995.

Inscription

by later hand, center verso in graphite: fm / Abbney des [Utag]es [in] [Fire]

NGA object ID 76110. Collection metadata is reproduced under CC0. This work is included because its NGA published-image record is marked open access; visitors should recheck the source record before substantial reuse.