Scène de déluge (Scene from a Deluge)
Oil painting on canvas; large-scale historical format • Anne-Louis Girodet de Roussy-Trioson
Style & Movement
French Neoclassicism transitioning into Romanticism (specifically 'Troubadour' or dark Romanticism)
Medium & Technique
Oil on canvas; characterized by smooth glazing, crisp Neoclassical contours, and dramatic chiaroscuro highlights known as 'the lunar style'
Creation Period
1806
Dimensions & Format
441 cm x 341 cm; large vertical rectangular format
Subject Description
A harrowing scene representing the biblical flood. A family is caught in a vertical chain of desperation on a crumbling rock. A man carries his elderly father while trying to hold his wife, who weighted by children, is falling into the abyss. It symbolizes the fragility of human life and the transition from classical heroism to emotional Romantic trauma.
Condition & Value Assessment
Condition Assessment
Excellent; museum-quality conservation status
Estimated Market Value
Art of this significance is considered a national treasure and 'hors commerce' (outside trade); equivalent value would exceed $50,000,000 in a private sale.
Auction Estimate
Inestimable; if it were to ever reach auction, it would likely set a record for 19th-century French painting.
Provenance History
Commissioned for the Salon of 1806; awarded a prize over Jacques-Louis David's 'Intervention of the Sabine Women' in 1810; currently in the collection of the Musée du Louvre, Paris.
Art Historical Significance
A pivotal masterpiece that signaled the shift from the strict ideological Neoclassicism of David to the expressive, dark Romanticism of the 19th century. It is renowned for its shocking emotional intensity and unique lighting.
Notable Features
Features a distinct plaque on the frame identifying the artist (Girodet-Trioson) and the title (Le Deluge); notable for the 'impossible' anatomical tension and the use of dramatic, cold light.
Condition Issues
Minor age-related craquelure consistent with 19th-century oil paintings; stable varnish layer; previous professional restoration noted.
Conservation Recommendations
Continued climate-controlled preservation at the Louvre; low UV lighting to protect the delicate glazes.