William Sadler the Younger
, Irish, 1782-1839
Title
The Burning of the Arcade in College Green, DublinDate1837
MediumOil on panel
Dimensions
28 x 46 cm
Credit LinePurchased, 1967
Object numberNGI.1827
Label TextThough better-known for his modest everyday street scenes and landscapes, Sadler also painted numerous views of erupting volcanoes and cities ablaze. This painting records a catastrophic event that occurred in the centre of Dublin on 25 April 1837. A fire that had broken out in the early hours of that morning engulfed the Royal Arcade, a relatively new thoroughfare that extended from College Green to Suffolk Street. No one was hurt, but all the premises in the arcade, and several adjacent buildings, were destroyed, including Kirby’s toy-shop in which the fire had begun.