The artwork titled “Deluge over a city” is a creation attributed to Leonardo da Vinci, dating to around 1517 and considered to have been crafted in Paris, France. The medium utilized for this piece is chalk on paper. It fits within the context of the High Renaissance art movement. The dimensions of the artwork measure 163 by 210 centimeters, and it falls under the genre of sketch and study, a category that typically encompassed preliminary works or detailed explorations of particular themes or ideas.
In this sketch, the artwork portrays a cataclysmic storm overwhelming an urban landscape. The swirling chaos of the elements is elaborately conveyed through vigorous, curvilinear strokes that depict the whirling winds and torrents of water. The city appears to be succumbing to a formidable deluge, with architectural details only faintly visible through the tempestuous onslaught. The sense of movement and fluidity in da Vinci’s treatment of the water and the skies is palpable, communicating the sheer power and uncontrollable force of nature. Despite being a study, the artwork embodies a dramatic intensity, demonstrating da Vinci’s masterful ability to render dynamic natural phenomena with both scientific accuracy and artistic imagination.
