The Deluge 1545 - 1555

"The Deluge" is an engraving made by Battista Franco in the 16th century, capturing a chaotic and emotional scene. Franco, an artist working in the Italian Renaissance, often looked at the stories of the Bible, and the print depicts the biblical flood, a story of divine punishment and survival. Engravings like this were often made to share stories from the Bible, and were aimed at people who couldn't read. The figures are rendered with exaggerated muscles and dramatic poses that show intense emotion. You can almost feel the panic, the desperation, and the raw will to survive. But, who gets to survive? In this image, those in positions of power, mostly men, are trying to save their families, while others are left to fend for themselves. Where is God in all of this? Is he really only concerned with the select few? Franco's "The Deluge" makes us think about who gets saved, who is left behind, and the stories we tell about those moments. It's a visceral look at survival, posing timeless questions about faith, morality, and what it means to be human in the face of disaster.