The Lake of Fire, Charleroi

Joseph Pennell

National Gallery of Art

The image presents an industrial landscape dominated by large factory buildings and tall smokestacks. The horizon is high in the composition, with the factories and smokestacks outlined against the night sky. Smoke belches out, blending into the atmosphere. The brushstrokes are bold and textured, conveying movement and energy, particularly in the swirling smoke. The color palette is monochromatic, using shades of black and grey. Two small figures are visible on a slope leading to a body of water, reflecting the glow and shadows of the distant factories.