Fire in London

Pugin and Rowlandson wanted to make a point about London’s efficient fire brigades, but were fussy about which fire to include. They selected one that burned Albion Mills in 1791 because the scene "afforded an opportunity of more picturesque effect; the termination of the bridge, the extensive area in front, and St. Paul’s in the background, contribute so many interesting parts to a representation which is altogether great and awful." The final, colored version is filled with flames and chaos, but even this black-and-white proof boasts marvelously scrabbled lines where the windows are falling out.