About this sheet
Original Illustration “The Storming of the Bastille” by Charles Burki, 1950 – Pen and Ink Drawing
Powerful original pen and ink drawing by Dutch artist Charles Burki (1909–1994), signed and dated “Charles Burki ’50” at lower left. This panoramic illustration captures the storming of the Bastille on July 14, 1789 — one of the most defining moments in French history and a lasting emblem of liberty.
The composition surges with intensity: the Bastille fortress looms in the background amid billowing smoke and cannon fire, while revolutionaries storm the gates with pikes and muskets. In the foreground, a defiant figure brandishes a sword and hammer, his face contorted in rage and determination — the human embodiment of revolution. Burki’s masterful penwork, full of energy and precision, reveals his architectural training and instinct for drama. Cross-hatched clouds, gestural lines, and dense shadows create a cinematic atmosphere, turning history into a living moment.
The verso inscription “Studio-Post, Juli ’54” indicates that this work was created for publication, likely as an educational or historical illustration. Its technical virtuosity and emotional power reflect Burki’s mature postwar style, developed after an extraordinary and harrowing wartime experience that profoundly shaped his life and art.
Biographical Note:
Charles Burki was born in 1909 in the Dutch East Indies (modern Indonesia) and trained as an architect before establishing himself as an illustrator and draughtsman. His career was abruptly interrupted by the Second World War. When Japan invaded the Dutch East Indies, Burki was captured and interned in a Japanese prison camp. He survived years of forced labor and deprivation — experiences that would later lend his work a remarkable emotional depth and empathy for human struggle.
Burki’s survival story is among the most extraordinary of his generation. He was aboard a Japanese transport ship carrying prisoners of war when it was torpedoed and sunk by Allied forces. Burki survived the sinking — one of the few who managed to reach shore alive. Later, he was among the internees in Nagasaki at the time the atomic bomb was dropped in August 1945. Remarkably, he survived that as well, though the devastation and trauma of the event left an indelible mark on his outlook and art.
After the war, Burki returned to the Netherlands and rebuilt his career as one of the country’s leading illustrators. He worked for Studio, Elsevier, and De Haagse Post, producing illustrations of historical events, adventure stories, and exotic subjects with extraordinary technical finesse. His work reflects both his architectural discipline and his lived understanding of human endurance and resilience.
Condition report:
Very good original condition with light toning and scattered foxing consistent with age. Editorial pencil notes and layout marks are present, typical of Burki’s production work for publishers. Ink remains deep and crisp, with excellent preservation of detail and linework.
Framing tips:
Best presented in a wide black or dark walnut frame with a neutral ivory or off-white mat. The strong contrast and horizontal composition make it ideal as a centerpiece for a library, office, or gallery wall.
Technique: Pen and ink on paper
Maker: Charles Burki, The Netherlands, 1950
