Musée du Louvre - Update

In my first post about the Louvre, I forgot to mention the two paintings that my classmates preferred in the exhibition. The day we visited the great museum, Alicia and Patrick shared their paintings with me, and I have posted the images below, along with what I remember of their reactions:

La Déluge (The Deluge)
Source: http://www.museumsyndicate.com/images/2/15595.jpg

Alicia's favorite painting was this one, for which I cannot currently find a painter or date. I particularly recall that she was particularly struck by the artist's bold use of orange in the woman's robes. From my perspective, the mixture of light and dark in this painting seems to highlight the struggle of the central figures against the elements, and makes clear that they are losing. However, I would like to better understand the story behind this painting (something as obvious as Noah's Flood and the Ark?) to gain better context for what the creator was trying to portray. (Note, this question is only relevant because the painting is in the realist style, and appears mythic.) I'm also curious about why this degree of nudity is necessary - couldn't the artist show that his subjects are suffering, and simultaneously clothe them? It seems that mythology seems to equate to nudity in art, but I've never understood why. Could the artist be appealing to times closer to fabled Eden when morality was less complicated? It's something to explore.

The Ghosts of Paulo and Francesca Appear to Dante and Virgil
Source: http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/b/ba/1835_Ary_Scheffer_-_The_Ghosts_of_Paolo_and_Francesca_Appear_to_Dante_and_Virgil.jpg

Francesca and Paolo are the subjects of Patrick's favorite painting. He was particularly impressed by the clear distinction between the damned lovers and their surroundings, as well as the facial expression of every character. What follows is my expansion on the points he brought about.

The bright white off the couple's skin starkly contrasts the dark mire of the background and forces the eye to linger on their figures. Similarly, Dante and Virgil's dull costumes blend well with the background, making them seem like a part of the scenery rather than part of the story. This echoes the context of Dante's Inferno, where Dante plays the role of narrator rather than protagonist. Further, Patrick called attention to their expressions - much like in Rodin's The Kiss, Francesca's expression is much more passionate than Paolo's, showing the difference in the way they perceive their relationship. Francesca clings tightly to Paolo, who shows emotion toward her, but also shows a focus on his own suffering. As with their shading, Dante and Virgil's expressions make clear that they are no more than observers in this scene.