Noah's Arc: A Rare Early Printed and Hand Coloured Fan, the double leaf mounted on ivory, the gorge sticks in serpentine form. The recto, of paper, indeed shows the animals entering the Arc two by two, with elephants, camels, goats, oxen and many smaller species clearly visible, clouds of birds swirling overhead. The loading of animals and supplies is overseen by five figures, the one to the right with white beard and dressed in ancient robes presumably being Noah, his wife (known as either Naamah or Emzara) and two of his three sons (Shem, Ham and Japeth) with one of their wive,s ensuring that his family escape the floods. The verso, possibly of a thin cream silk, is plain. When closed, the serpentine sticks create a particularly deep and undulating carving to the gorge.

Guard length 10 inches or 25.5cm

 

Biblical reference: Genesis chapters 6-9