The Ark 1695 - 1705

Lodewijk Tieling made this oil on canvas painting called ‘The Ark’ around 1700. It depicts the animals leaving Noah's Ark, a popular subject for Dutch painters at the time. Paintings like this spoke to a society deeply shaped by religious belief. The story of Noah was understood as a demonstration of God’s power and judgment, but also of his promise and covenant with humanity. Tieling was not as famous as other painters of biblical scenes, but he uses familiar visual codes. The animals leaving the ark can be seen as representing an ordered society, hierarchical and at peace. And Noah, a heroic figure in the old testament, would have been seen as a figure of divinely sanctioned power. As art historians, we can research the context of the painting through religious texts, sermons, and other artworks on the same theme. We can see how the artist's choices reflect the beliefs and values of his time. This helps us to understand the cultural work that images perform in society.