The Drunkenness of Noah 1550 - 1600

"The Drunkenness of Noah" is a 5 7/8 inch diameter pen and brown ink drawing by Friedrich Sustris. Sustris, working in the late 16th century, was positioned within a society grappling with religious reformation and shifting social norms. This piece depicts a biblical scene ripe with interpretations about morality and familial duty. We see Noah inebriated, a state of vulnerability. His sons' responses vary—one mocks, while the others, in an act of respect or perhaps shame, avert their gaze while covering their father. The tale speaks volumes about the dynamics of power, respect, and the burden of legacy within families. What does it mean to witness the fallibility of a patriarchal figure? How do we negotiate the complexities of familial piety when confronted with human weakness? It invites us to consider how societies construct narratives around those in positions of authority, and how those narratives are maintained or subverted by those closest to them. The emotional core of this piece resides in the discomfort of witnessing a patriarch's disgrace and the challenging question of how to respond.