Deucalion and Pyrra Repeopling the Earth

Workshop of Hendrick Goltzius, after Hendrick Goltzius

National Gallery of Art

This is a drawing of an ancient mythological scene. The composition shows a rocky landscape with a central temple-like structure against dramatic cliff formations. In the foreground, there are robust, muscular figures in dynamic postures interacting with the environment. They seem engaged in expressive actions involving stones or the ground. The middle ground includes rolling hills and a waterway spreading into the distance with other figures. The sky above has swirling clouds. The detailed, fine lines and etching technique lend a sense of classical timelessness to the image.