The Deluge c. 18th century

Curator: Domenico Cunego created this intaglio print titled, "The Deluge". Editor: It's a swirling mass of bodies! A scene of pure desperation, the way they're clinging to each other—almost suffocating. Curator: Cunego wasn't illustrating from direct experience, of course, but rather interpreting a scene from the Bible, depicting Noah's flood. Editor: All those figures trying to reach the ark! It's fascinating how he's used line and shadow to create this sense of panic and the sublime terror of nature. Curator: Yes, the politics of this image—its source in scripture and its aim to evoke moral contemplation through fear—reflect the priorities of its time. Editor: It makes me think about our own relationship with the environment. Are we heading toward another deluge, but of our own making? Curator: A thought to ponder. Cunego's work serves as a reminder of both our fragility and the stories we tell ourselves about survival.