The Deluge
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
Sheet: 10 13/16 × 7 1/16 in. (27.5 × 18 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1951
Accession Number
51.501.1639(5)
Art Historical Context
Abraham van Diepenbeeck *The Deluge* (1655) is a striking engraving that captures the cataclysmic Biblical flood from Genesis, a dramatic subject beloved in 17th-century European art. Created during the height of the Flemish Baroque era, this print by the Antwerp-based artist—known for his intricate history scenes and reproductive engravings—showcases his mastery of line and shadow to evoke chaos and divine judgment. Van Diepenbeeck, in a vibrant artistic circle influenced by Peter Paul Rubens, often blended religious narrative with theatrical composition, making works like this accessible to ...