De zondvloed c. 1636 - 1670

Crispijn van de Passe the Younger created this print called ‘The Flood’ sometime in the first half of the 17th century. It shows a scene of devastation, people struggling to survive the rising waters, while in the background we see Noah's Ark, the symbol of salvation. The story of Noah's Ark has been a recurring theme in art for centuries, and here in the Dutch Golden Age, artists were very interested in the politics of imagery. The rising waters could be interpreted as a divine punishment, but also as a symbol of social upheaval and the instability of life. This was a time of great economic and political change in the Netherlands, and images of the Flood resonated with the anxieties and uncertainties of the time. By examining the historical context and cultural references in artworks like this, we can gain a deeper understanding of the social conditions that shaped artistic production and the role of art in reflecting and challenging existing social norms. We can study art from this period to see how the institutions of the time influenced art and what the public role of art was.