Noah Leaving the Ark by Colonia

Noah and his family leaving the Ark, 1663

Adam Colonia (1634-1685)

Oil on canvas

This picture, which is one of Colonia’s finest works depicts the rare subject of Noah and his family leaving the Ark (Genesis Chapter 8:15-19). Most other artists have chosen to depict Noah and his family entering or in the Ark. To the left of Noah is his wife. In the centre are Noah’s three sons (Ham, Shem and Japheth) and one of their wives.

A procession of animals is still leaving the Ark in the distance. Most prominent – and amusing – are the pairs of animals and birds that fill the foreground, cackling, preening and giving vent to sighs and smiles of relief after their ordeal of forty days afloat.

The animals which Colonia was more familiar with, (i.e. domestic animals such as ducks, geese, swans and cattle) are depicted in the foreground with realistic detail. Those which he was unlikely to have seen in life such as elephants, camels, leopards and lions were probably derived from book illustrations, and so are slightly peculiar.

Colonia was born in Rotterdam but moved to London in 1670, where he spent the latter part of his career. He specialised in landscapes filled with figures and animals, some of which owe an obvious debt to Cornelius Saftleven (1607-81) and Nicolaes Berchem (1620-183), while others are modelled on compositions by Rembrandt.

Given in 1891 by Thomas Wilkinson