À propos du thème de la construction de l'arche de Noé à travers l'iconographie médiévale

Résumé En

In the Middle Ages, few images have had as much success as that of the large sailing ship in a storm, the rough sea symbolizing the dangers and difficulties of the world. To cross it, a ship is necessary; this enters into many representations of scenes of Biblical life: the crossing of the Genezareth lake, the history of the prophet Jonas, Noah's Ark, which in Biblical and Christian tradition, is one of the richest symbols. Symbol of the home protected by God, and saving of the species, symbol of the presence of God amid the people of his choice, a mobile sanctuary guaranteeing an alliance with God and his people. It is also the symbol of the Church, open to everyone for the salvation of the world. This shows how the representations of the Ark are among the richest and are present in all the iconographic support of medieval tradition: frescoes, miniatures, mosaics, graffiti, sculptures. .. These scenes have been classified thus: the announcement ofthe flood to Noah, the building of the Ark, the animais entering thè Ark, the flood, the dove scene, leaving the Ark. The episode relating to the construction is full of information concerning the types of eraft, the nature of the planking, according to the Atlantic and Mediterranean traditions: clinker-built, carvel built, clamps assembly system, the particularities of the hull, the carpenter's instruments. An analysis of a certain number of slides will be proposed.