Narrator: The dove and raven we see here have been sent out by Noah from his Ark in the biblical story. Since the great flood sent by God is finally receding, their mission is to find dry land.

The painting was made by English artist John Martin in 1840, a time of new scientific discoveries about the natural world. Take a closer look at the tidepool.  Chief Curator Emily Beeny:

Emily Beeny: There are a few discernible specific species of shellfish and creatures around the edges. This is a moment when Darwin is engaged in the research that will eventually become “On the Origin of Species” - which will of course, contradict, in many ways, the story of the Flood. So it's an interesting moment of kind of intersection of a biblical story and a nascent scientific discourse.

Narrator: Local artist Jennie Smith teaches at the museum. Her own work is often rooted in drawing the natural world.  

Smith: I've always been excited by the ways in which I see the artist is using the brush, from the long sweeping brush strokes that depict the waves receding, to the meticulous line work along the coast - it's almost like he was using the brush as a pencil.

I'm thinking about global warming and the environmental crisis we're experiencing. And I see in this painting, the artist taking the time to connect with nature, in a way that seems imperative for us today. And reminding us to slow down and actually look closely at the world around you.