The artwork titled “Noah’s Ark,” created by artist Edward Hicks in 1846, is an oil painting on canvas that falls under the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement, categorized as a religious painting. It is housed in the Philadelphia Museum of Art, located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States.
The painting portrays the biblical story of Noah’s Ark. In the foreground, pairs of animals peacefully proceed toward the large wooden ark situated in the middle ground. The animals include lions, horses, sheep, zebras, tigers, giraffes, and others, all depicted with a certain childlike simplicity characteristic of the Naïve Art movement. The ark, painted in a warm yellow hue, stands on a wooden ramp, through which some animals are seen embarking. The background features dramatic, dark storm clouds, indicative of the impending flood, contrasted against a serene landscape of distant hills and calmer skies. The artwork brilliantly captures the essence of the biblical narrative while showcasing Hicks’ distinctive, unpretentious artistic style.
