Arken på Ararat 1924

Joakim Skovgaard made this drawing called Arken på Ararat with ink on paper. The image is defined by the contrast between the dense hatching on the rockface and the lighter shading of the figures gathered around the altar. The thin ink of the pen emphasises each line in the image. I wonder, when Skovgaard was making this piece, was he thinking about the idea of faith and deliverance? I imagine him, carefully applying each stroke, thinking about Noah and his family, thankful after surviving the flood. Skovgaard captures a moment of hope and renewal. In the background, the ark sits on the horizon beneath a rainbow, while in the foreground, people offer their thanks on the altar. The vultures below give a feeling of unease—perhaps they are the last vestige of the old world? The ink drawing is direct, immediate. You can see the hand of the artist. It feels like a spontaneous response, like Skovgaard is showing us how art can interpret stories we tell again and again.