Jan Sadeler's engraving after after Dirk Barendsz,


Mankind awaiting the Last Judgment


an elegant banquet proceeds while outside

a battle and signs of imminent collapse of civilisation

pre-figure the Deluge and the Last Judgment.

The Eve of the Deluge

You the observer know what will happen.

You look on the behaviour of the Doomed

and there is an ominous quality

beyond the symbolic clues

beyond.

The Eve of the Deluge

an engraving by John Martin

click to enlarge