Noah's Ark (Poulakis)

Another important characteristic in Greek art during the Baroque and Rococo periods was the migration to engravings.

[2] Noah's Ark was an extremely popular theme used by countless artists.

A popular version was finished by Flemish painter Maerten de Vos.

Sadeler used the painting as a prototype for one of his popular engravings entitled Noah's Ark.

Sadeler brought Flemish art to the Greek and Italian world of painting.

Konstantinos Tzanes's painting Mary Magdalene used one of Sadeler's engravings as the model for his work.

Tzone's Mary Magdalene and Poulaki's Noah's Ark are part of the collection of the Hellenic Institute of Venice.

The artist demonstrates a mixture of Flemish, Italian and Greek art prevalent at that time.

The remaining four figures to our left, closer to the animals are carrying important items to the ark.

The animals are a mixture of elephants, camels, wild cats, snakes, rabbits, turkeys, and other creatures.

The animals that stand out the most are the two unicorns on the platform entering the ark, one is white and the other brown.

The ark, castle, and figures reflect the painting's complex three-dimensional characteristics.

The Greek inscription sais: "ΧΕΙΡ ΘΕΟΔΩΡΟΥ ΠΟΥΛΑΚΗ, ΝΩΕ ΤΟΥΣ ΙΔΙΟΥΣ ΣΥΓΓΕΝΕΙΣ Κ[ΑΙ] ΤΑ ΖΩΑ ΕΙΣ ΤΗΝ ΚΙΒΩΤΟΝ ΕΙΣΑΓΩΝ" (By the hand of Theodore Poulakis Noah and his Relatives with Animals Enter the Ark).

The 1949 catalog also revealed that the painting was located in the conference room of the Greek Brotherhood of Venice.