The Deluge
1551
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
About the artist
1551
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
The Deluge is a 1551 ink by Etienne Delaune, a Renaissance work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This black-and-white print is packed with wild, swirling shapes. At the center, a half-sunken building floats on stormy waves. Figures scramble around it—some hold up broken columns, others cling to debris. Birds fly overhead, and a shipwreck peeks from the bottom left. The edges frame it all with fancy scrolls and tall, empty towers. The chaos looks like a flood story. Tiny details—like the drowning figures and the crumbling temple—hint at panic and loss. Want to see how artists carved these deep, dark lines? Look up engraving.
