Collection
/
Decorative Arts and Design

Noah's Ark

ca. 1850

Caption

Noah's Ark, ca. 1850. Pine, pigment, 12 x 7 3/4 x 24 in. (30.5 x 19.7 x 61.0 cm). Brooklyn Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection, 72.13.1.

Title

Noah's Ark

Date

ca. 1850

Medium

Pine, pigment

Classification

Sculpture

Dimensions

12 x 7 3/4 x 24 in. (30.5 x 19.7 x 61.0 cm)

Signatures

no signature

Inscriptions

no inscriptions

Markings

no marks

Credit Line

Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Alastair B. Martin, the Guennol Collection

Accession Number

72.13.1

Frequent Art Questions

  • Are these animals heading to Noah's Ark?

    You have a good eye--yes, they are! That compilation of toys is named after Noah's Ark.
    Those are placed in that library to show that children would have been allowed to play in there. Unlike the adjoining parlor where children would have been taught manners.

  • Is this Noah's ark?

    Yes! This is an example of the type of toys that children would have had at the time. It was intended for play, but also as a means of telling Biblical stories.
    It's so cute.
    It is!

  • I'd like to know more about this children's toy. Why does it look like a house and not a boat?

    Noah's ark is commonly depicted as a house-like boat. The "house" is on a platform, probably to indicate that it would float. According to the biblical story, Noah, his family, and the animals did need to be sheltered from the raging storm outside.

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