Earthquake of Lisbon, All Saints Day 1755

1986
Scott, Michael
This painting is based upon a drawing which Scott made into a linocut (a relief design cut into linoleum). He produced 24 linocuts altogether and transferred them to a slide projector. This projection then became the composition for the painting. The subject of this painting is the 1755 Lisbon earthquake in Portugal, which was followed by fires and a tsunami. It was one of the worst earthquakes in history and devastated the capital city and its surrounding area with estimates of the death toll ranging between 10,000 and 100,000 people. The quake caused huge cracks five metres wide to appear in the city centre and shortly before the tsunami struck, water was drawn out of the docks in the city, revealing the seabed covered with lost cargo and old shipwrecks. Charlotte Booth
  • Artwork Details: 230.2 x 140.3cm
  • Edition:
  • Material description: oil on canvas
  • Credit line: © the artist
  • Theme: Urban Scene
  • Medium: Painting
  • Accession number: AC 5454

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