In times of distress, I find great comfort in turning to the spiritually uplifting and morally stimulating works of great wise souls of days of yore.
This seemed to be turning into Hieronymus Bosch Week. So here’s some of my favourite,

post-apocalyptic,

new “Dark Age” offerings from Pieter Bruegel the Elder. Just for a change.
And, as life goes on, in honour of plus ça change, plus ça reste la même chose:

—February-March/The Gloomy Day, the literal coming full circle in conjunction with the contemporary and metaphorical. Hah. How very satisfying. Though the sad facts remain that it is still February and that the Dark Ages are still upon us, without Vikings to kidnap smart scholarly types intervene usefully rescue academic damsels in distress (though senior academic gentlemen as damsels is such a deliciously winsome image…)