Scene before the biblical deluge. 17th-century illustration of couples described as 'surrendering to lechery' and eating food and drink. As told in the Judaeo-Christian bible's Book of Genesis, God becomes angry at the evil behaviour of mankind and decides to flood the world and destroy all life. He makes an exception for one good man, Noah, who he instructs to build an ark to save his family and two of every animal. Myths of deluges are found in creation stories worldwide. This engraving is by Crispijn de Passe the Elder (1564-1637) for the first edition of 'Liber Genesis' (1612).