Noah Building the Ark, from "Dalziels' Bible Gallery" 1881

This image of Noah Building the Ark is from "Dalziels' Bible Gallery", made by George Frederic Watts. It’s a wood engraving, a technique that uses a block of wood, meticulously carved to create an image. Look closely, and you’ll notice the incredible detail achieved through this process, from the texture of Noah’s beard to the rough-hewn planks of the ark. Wood engraving was a skilled craft, demanding precision and patience. The process involved the engraver using specialized tools to cut away areas of the woodblock, leaving the design raised. This was then inked and printed, creating multiple reproductions. Notice the figures around Noah, some laboring, others offering assistance, alluding to the communal effort required for such an immense undertaking. The image then, speaks to the social dynamics of labor, and perhaps even hints at the hierarchies inherent in collaborative work. The very act of creating this print – the labor of the artist, the skill of the engraver, the use of a reproducible medium – adds layers of meaning to the artwork. It reminds us that art is not just about the final image, but also about the processes, materials, and the people involved in its creation.