Begin van de zondvloed 1586 - 1636

Johann Sadeler I made this engraving, "Begin van de zondvloed," in the late 16th century, a period defined by religious upheaval across Europe. It depicts the start of the biblical flood, a divine punishment for human wickedness, and reflects the anxieties of a society grappling with its own moral compass. The image is rich with visual cues: desperate figures clinging to each other, animals overwhelmed by the rising waters, and a landscape consumed by the deluge. Made in the Netherlands, at a time when it was caught between Catholic and Protestant powers, this work is part of a wider visual culture that saw religious imagery as a powerful tool for moral instruction and social control. The engraving can be viewed as a commentary on the social structures of its time, offering a stark warning against moral corruption. To fully appreciate this piece, one might delve into theological texts, social histories of the period, and the archives of the printmaking workshops that disseminated these images. Only then can we grasp the artwork's full significance within its complex social and institutional context.