The artwork titled “All dwellings else Flood overwhelmed, and them, with all their pomp Deep under water rolled,” is a distinguished piece by the artist Gustave Doré, a noted figure in the Romanticism art movement. This religious painting is part of Doré’s series “The Holy Bible.” The artwork vividly portrays the catastrophic Biblical flood, with dramatic clouds and cascading waters overwhelming the ancient dwellings.
In this powerful scene, a tumultuous sky looms with dark, swirling clouds partially illuminated by a radiant light breaking through, symbolizing divine intervention. Below, massive torrents of water cascade forcefully over grand architectural structures, pulling them into chaos. Amongst the turmoil, human figures and animals are depicted amidst the overflowing waters, illustrating the overwhelming destruction caused by the flood. The detail and dramatic contrasts in Doré’s rendering emphasize the intensity and grandeur of this epic event.
