The Deluge c. 1530

This is Jan van Scorel's depiction of 'The Deluge', crafted without a specific date using engraving techniques. Note the prominent motif of figures clinging to trees, a desperate attempt to escape the rising waters. This gesture, a primal scream against the inevitable, echoes through time. We see variations of it in ancient flood myths from Mesopotamia to Greece, where humans grasp at anything to survive divine wrath. Consider the emotional weight of this image. The terror, the helplessness, the raw instinct to survive. These are not just figures in a story, but reflections of our deepest anxieties about nature's power. It stirs something within us, a collective memory of chaos and loss. Such symbols are not static; they evolve, resurface, and take on new resonance across cultures, reminding us of the timeless human drama played out against the backdrop of our ever-changing world.