The Deluge

1805

Tate: Accepted by the nation as part of the Turner Bequest 1856

Object Light exhibition highlights On display

This painting shows scenes of desperation and suffering in the face of the flood, which God unleashed upon the earth to restore the goodness of his creation, as described in the book of Genesis, chapters 6–9. Turner’s depiction of a powerful Black man rescuing a drowning white woman illustrates the free will of all people to act independently. When a print of this picture was made in 1828, it was dedicated to Lord Carysfort, a prominent advocate for the abolition of slavery.

An in-depth analysis of JMW Turner's The Deluge via First Art Museum's YouTube channel.

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Collection

Not in ACMI's collection

Previously on display

13 November 2022

ACMI: Gallery 4

Credits

artist

JMW Turner

Production dates
1805

Appears in

Group of items

Spiritual Light

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Collection metadata

ACMI Identifier

LN189656

Curatorial section

Light → Spiritual Light

Measurements

1429 x 2356 mm

Object Types

Painting/Pictorial

Materials

Oil paint on canvas

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Cite this work on Wikipedia

If you would like to cite this item, please use the following template: {{cite web |url=https://acmi.net.au/works/120195--the-deluge/ |title=The Deluge |author=Australian Centre for the Moving Image |access-date=5 December 2024 |publisher=Australian Centre for the Moving Image}}