The Flood 1615 - 1671

Jan Cossiers created this evocative drawing, The Flood, using pen and brown ink with brown wash over black chalk. The somber palette and dynamic composition immediately draw us into a scene of chaos. Note how the figures are not arranged in a naturalistic manner, but are distributed across the pictorial plane in small groups. Cossiers uses the pen and brown ink to build up layers of shadow, creating a sense of depth and volume. The figures, clinging to trees and each other, are rendered with expressive lines and a palpable sense of desperation. Cossiers cleverly employs the materiality of the ink wash to convey the destructive force of the flood. This is not just a depiction of a biblical event; it is an exploration of human vulnerability. The arrangement of the figures, the interplay of light and shadow, and the use of line all contribute to a work that engages with the viewer on an emotional and intellectual level. Each viewing offers new insights into the dynamics of survival and despair represented within the artwork.