Artwork
Flood (Sintflut)
Flood (Sintflut) is a watercolor print by Christian Rohlfs. It dates from 1918 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created circa 1918, Flood (Sintflut) is a woodcut print by German artist Christian Rohlfs. Executed on gray‑green wove paper, the image combines a brown watercolor wash with the carved woodcut surface. The composition presents a turbulent flood scene populated by several figures, the central one clothed in white, set against a stark, monochrome background.
Subject & Meaning
The abstracted forms and muted facial features emphasize collective distress rather than individual narrative, evoking a universal sense of disaster.
The print portrays a chaotic deluge, with figures appearing to struggle, tumble, or cling to one another amid rising water. The white‑robed central figure draws the eye, suggesting a focal point of vulnerability or salvation within the surrounding turmoil. The abstracted forms and muted facial features emphasize collective distress rather than individual narrative, evoking a universal sense of disaster.
Technique & Style
Rohlfs employed traditional woodcut carving to generate bold, black contours that define the figures and water. A brown watercolor wash applied over the carved surface adds depth and a limited tonal range, while the gray‑green paper provides a muted backdrop. The stark contrast between dark lines and subdued hues reflects the expressive, emotionally charged aesthetics associated with German Expressionism.
History & Provenance
Christian Rohlfs, a prominent painter and printmaker of early‑20th‑century Germany, produced Flood during the final years of World War I, a period marked by social upheaval. The work remains in private collections, having passed through several European dealers before entering its current holding. Its date and medium place it among Rohlfs’s later print experiments, illustrating his shift toward more graphic, monochromatic compositions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Christian Rohlfs (November 22, 1849 - January 8, 1938) was a German painter and printmaker, one of the important representatives of German expressionism.
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