The Flood

The teacher of Anthonis Mor, Van Scorel introduced Roman Mannerism into the Low Countries. This scene combines figures derived from Michelangelo with a nocturnal landscape characteristic of the northern tradition. In the brightly lit foreground, a large crowd flees the unstoppable advance of the water. People and animals create a semicircle framing the background landscape, which is plunged into darkness and includes Noah’s Ark with men and women clinging on in the hope of being saved. The striking contrast between the brightly lit foreground and dark background encapsulates the drama of the scene.