Hete Vuren

Discover the meaning and impact of fire through the ages at Hot Fires. The touring exhibition presents a selection of over 30 paintings from the Rijksmuseum, each with its own story and includes works by famous painters, including Jan Steen, Gerard Dou and Jozef Israëls.

Fire was once much more present in our lives than it is now. It beset us as something inexplicable, but it also became the engine of our civilisation. We went in search of underground sources to make this fire ourselves, whether we use it in a domestic setting, for our work or just to destroy things with it. Fire, neutral in itself, became a tool for humans, evoking strong feelings in us.