The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark

Brueghel painted The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark in 1613, in Antwerp, where he had established himself as the leading Flemish painter of landscapes and still lifes. He was 45 years old and had been painting for over two decades, producing the detailed, jewel-like landscapes and the lush still lifes that had earned him the nickname 'Velvet Brueghel.' The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark is one of his most ambitious works, a panoramic landscape filled with over a hundred different animals, each painted with the precision of a naturalist. The painting shows the animals of the world entering Noah's Ark, as described in the Book of Genesis. The Ark is visible in the background, a large wooden structure at the edge of a river. The animals are arranged in a loose procession, moving from the foreground toward the Ark: elephants, lions, horses, cattle, deer, goats, sheep, dogs, rabbits, and dozens of smaller creatures. Noah and his family are visible at the left, directing the animals toward the Ark. The landscape is lush and green, with trees, hills, and a river visible in the background. The sky is filled with luminous clouds, and the light falls from the upper left, illuminating the animals and the landscape. Brueghel was the son of Pieter Bruegel the Elder, the great Flemish painter of peasant life and biblical scenes. Jan Brueghel the Elder developed his own style, characterized by its meticulous detail, its luminous color, and its combination of landscape and still life. He was a close friend and collaborator of Peter Paul Rubens, and the two painters worked together on several paintings, with Rubens painting the figures and Brueghel painting the landscapes and the still life elements. The Entry of the Animals into Noah's Ark is one of Brueghel's most celebrated works, and it is a masterpiece of observation. Each animal is painted with a precision that recalls the natural history illustrations of the period, with the anatomy, the fur, and the posture all carefully observed. Brueghel kept a menagerie of exotic animals at his house in Antwerp, and he made studies of them from life. He also drew on the descriptions of animals in the natural history texts of the period, including the works of Conrad Gesner and Ulisse Aldrovandi. Oil on panel, 56 by 84 centimeters. Brueghel painted with a fine, precise touch, building each animal in thin, even layers of color. The elephants are painted in smooth strokes of gray, with the wrinkles described in fine lines of dark brown. The lions are painted in thick, opaque strokes of orange and gold, with the manes built in quick, directional strokes. The horses are painted in smooth layers of brown and white, with the muscles described by the color relationships. The landscape is painted in soft, atmospheric layers of green and blue, with the trees and the hills suggested by the texture of the paint. The sky is painted in luminous layers of blue and white, with the clouds built in thick, opaque strokes. The surface has the smooth, polished quality of a painting made on panel. The horizontal format and lush palette make this print work well in a living room, dining room, or child's room. The warm greens, browns, and golden tones pair with natural wood, white walls, and rooms with a warm or naturalistic mood. The 18x24 size is the best choice, as the composition needs width to read. The painting has a joyful, abundant quality that suits rooms with a warm or family mood. This is a public domain artwork from the J. Paul Getty Museum. We print it on archival matte paper at sizes from 8x10 to 18x24 inches, framed or unframed.