Noah coming out of the Ark 1557 - 1560

Curator: At first glance, this piece is teeming with life—literally. Editor: Indeed! This is Maarten van Heemskerck's "Noah Coming Out of the Ark," rendered in ink drawing around 1557 to 1560. It depicts the iconic scene from the Book of Genesis, and is currently housed here at the SMK. It strikes me as incredibly dynamic, a celebration bursting from the confines of the ark. There's a palpable sense of release. Curator: I agree, the composition emphasizes this emergence. The Ark sits prominently on the upper right, acting like a theatre stage, while the crowd below is the audience and players. But what strikes me even more is the almost manic energy, especially from God in the top left, practically strangling a lion! Is that supposed to be joy or is the poor lion regretting his ark roommate situation? Editor: Haha! Well, Heemskerck's artistic license is certainly on display. It’s worth noting the era's influence. Heemskerck was deeply involved in the artistic and intellectual currents of the Northern Renaissance. He, among other Northern artists, engaged with religious themes during a period of considerable theological and societal upheaval. Curator: Right, the Reformation loomed large. Does this artwork offer some kind of… stability in the face of social change? God feels so angry here; is Heemserck perhaps channeling collective fears of change into a familiar story, reassuring viewers that even after devastation, life – divinely ordained life – will return? Editor: Precisely! The history of interpretation of the piece demonstrates this. Many viewed the story of Noah not just as historical but as a model for societal resilience after calamity. Here, Heemskerck gives material expression to hope—or at least, ordained continuation. Plus, the medium matters; ink drawings, prints made from these drawings, they made art more accessible. It allows this image, this *message* of survival and divine order, to spread quickly. Curator: So, in its own way, this frantic, slightly terrifying scene… is reassuring propaganda. Well, isn’t art just fascinating? Thank you for untangling some of those contextual threads, as always. Editor: And thank you, for drawing out those vibrant emotions I felt, and challenging those connections! It makes viewing the art more enlightening for me as well.