Slachtoffers van de watersnoodramp in de Geertekerk te Utrecht - David van der Kellen

A detailed 1855 etching by David van der Kellen documenting refugees sheltered in the Geertekerk following a major Dutch flood.

This etching by David van der Kellen depicts the interior of the Geertekerk in Utrecht, which served as a temporary shelter for victims of the severe flooding that occurred in the Netherlands in 1855. The artist captures the sombre reality of the displaced population, documenting the makeshift conditions within the church walls.

The composition is defined by the architectural rhythm of the church arches, which frame the groups of refugees gathered below. Van der Kellen employs a precise, linear technique to render the textures of the stone walls, the wooden ceiling beams, and the laundry hung across the nave to dry. The figures are depicted with a focus on their posture and collective presence, conveying the quiet desperation of those who lost their homes to the rising waters.

Van der Kellen, a member of a well-known family of engravers and medallists, demonstrates a keen eye for observational detail in this work. The etching avoids theatricality, opting instead for a documentary approach that records the social impact of the disaster. The contrast between the monumental, permanent structure of the church and the temporary, fragile nature of the refugees' belongings creates a narrative of resilience amidst hardship. The work provides a clear view into mid-nineteenth-century Dutch social history, capturing a moment of communal crisis with technical clarity and restraint. The inclusion of the number '9' at the bottom suggests this piece was part of a larger series or portfolio documenting the events of the 1855 flood.