Zondvloed (rechterhelft) 1568 - 1629

This chiaroscuro woodcut, "Zondvloed" or "The Flood" was created by Andrea Andreani, around 1600. It depicts a scene of chaos and desperation during the biblical flood. Notice the figures in the foreground, clinging to each other in terror, their bodies contorted in anguish as they are swallowed by the relentless waters. This motif of intertwined bodies in moments of extreme distress echoes through art history, from ancient depictions of the Trojan War to Renaissance interpretations of the Last Judgment. Consider the serpent-entwined boat, a perverse inversion of Noah's Ark, which becomes a symbol of destruction rather than salvation. The serpent, historically a symbol of temptation and chaos, reflects a deeper, subconscious anxiety about the destructive forces of nature and the fragility of human existence. The recurrence of such symbols across cultures and eras speaks to a collective memory, a primal fear etched into the human psyche.