The Universal Flood Flemish painter active in the 17th century

Oil painting on canvas

This interesting Flemish painting from the 17th century illustrates the biblical event of the Universal Flood, hurled onto the earth by God to punish its inhabitants for their wickedness and degeneration. Thanks to this enormous flood the world would have been purified from sinners, with the only exception reserved for Noah's Ark which, as a symbol of the Church itself, became a means of salvation for Noah and his family, as well as a couple of each animal species.

The primordial catastrophe of the flood is narrated in detail in the biblical book of Genesis (Bible, Genesis 6-8), and the details are impressive, dramatic and very strong: the rain fell on the earth for forty days and forty nights, the waters rose and rose the ark that rose above the earth, and were more and more overwhelming until they covered the whole earth and erased every living being that lived there.

The scene immortalized by our painter places us in the midst of the ongoing tragedy, with details described in an extremely realistic way which, following the model of similar works created by many Flemish masters, focuses above all on the desperate struggle of men and animals for survival.

The Ark is depicted in the distance, almost shrouded in darkness, signifying the now distance from the men in the foreground who are now desperate for their imminent fate. The striking contrast between the illuminated foreground and the dark landscape in the background highlights the drama of the scene.

We see a tangle of bodies emerge from the foamy water, while they cling with the strength of desperation to any handhold that may have the appearance of salvation. Each image is striking and captures the attention of the observer. Particularly touching are the scenes portraying mothers with their children, which illustrate how not even the innocence of children is spared from the ferocious tragedy hurled upon men by divine wrath.

What makes this work unique, compared to other famous ones with the same subject, is the inclusion in the composition of a 'Madonna with Child' which, although in anachronistic contrast with the event of the Flood, is similar to the subject in question for the fate of Christ, sacrificed by the Father for the salvation of humanity from sin.

The sky is an active part of the earthly disaster, perfectly reflecting the passage of the biblical text, with the black clouds swollen with rain that progressively block the light of the sun and obscure the hope of the living. There is something apocalyptic in this vision, which the author was able to capture perfectly.

The analysis of the painting and the stylistic details that compose it allow us to attribute its authorship to a Flemish author although on closer inspection, especially in the rendering of the figures, it is possible to detect the influence of the Italian figurative culture, with a mannerist imprint.

The work is in a good state of conservation and is complete with a beautiful gilded wooden frame.