Fotoreproductie van het fresco De ark van Noach en de zondvloed naar Piero di Puccio in het Camposanto te Pisa, Italië 1857 - 1900

This photograph by Fratelli Alinari captures Piero di Puccio’s fresco, depicting Noah's Ark and the Flood, within the Camposanto in Pisa, Italy. The image is rich in cultural and historical context. It reflects the religious fervor and the social order of 14th-century Italy, where the Church played a central role in society and art. Frescoes like this served as visual aids for a largely illiterate population, conveying religious narratives and moral lessons and often served as a reminder of divine power. The Camposanto itself is not just a cemetery; it's an institution embodying the city's history. The choice of the biblical narrative of Noah's Ark can be read as a moralizing tale. It reinforces social norms and divine judgment, telling the need for faith in the face of devastation. To fully understand this artwork, we turn to historians. They employ resources, such as church records, social histories, and studies of artistic patronage. Through this, we can appreciate the social, religious, and institutional contexts that gave rise to its creation.