The depiction of Noah in Early Christian iconography lives two distinct phases. The first phase, only burial, covering the years between the end of the third century and the end of the fourth; the second, mainly of Church apparatus, was born with the fifth century and lasted well beyond the seventh. In the first phase, the burial can be identified basically two modes of representation intended to express the same paradigm of salvation. In the narrative scene Noah is caught in the moment which includes the dove in her arms, while the ark is still at the mercy of the waves. In the typological scene Noah is a metaphor of the deceased, the ark of the grave. In the second phase, after the fifth century, the scene of Noah is also represented outside the context of burial: the symbolic function vanishes, while appearing the numerous narrative moments neglected by previous tradition, such as the construction of the ark, the entrance of the animals, the presence of seven other companions or of the drowned. Finally, although no longer tied to a concept of salvation staff, the theme of Noah's flood iconography remains as an issue of collective salvation of the community.
Note sull'iconografia di Noè nell'arca (III-VI sec.)
AVELLIS, LUCA
2008-01-01
Abstract
The depiction of Noah in Early Christian iconography lives two distinct phases. The first phase, only burial, covering the years between the end of the third century and the end of the fourth; the second, mainly of Church apparatus, was born with the fifth century and lasted well beyond the seventh. In the first phase, the burial can be identified basically two modes of representation intended to express the same paradigm of salvation. In the narrative scene Noah is caught in the moment which includes the dove in her arms, while the ark is still at the mercy of the waves. In the typological scene Noah is a metaphor of the deceased, the ark of the grave. In the second phase, after the fifth century, the scene of Noah is also represented outside the context of burial: the symbolic function vanishes, while appearing the numerous narrative moments neglected by previous tradition, such as the construction of the ark, the entrance of the animals, the presence of seven other companions or of the drowned. Finally, although no longer tied to a concept of salvation staff, the theme of Noah's flood iconography remains as an issue of collective salvation of the community.I documenti in IRIS sono protetti da copyright e tutti i diritti sono riservati, salvo diversa indicazione.
