A frequently represented religious episode in the Middle Ages was the drunkenness of Noah.
In Genesis we learn that after the flood Noah became a farmer and cultivated his vine-garden. After having drunk his wine he fell asleep naked in his tent. Ham, one of his sons, saw him unclothed and referred the episode to the other two brothers, Shem and Japheth who by walking backwards covered their father with a robe.
I would like to introduce you to this subject through 2 representations, in Saint Mark’s Church and by the Doge’s Palace.
In the narthex of Saint Mark’s Church on one half vault between the so-called ‘well’ and the Abraham cupola the drunkenness is depicted in 6 mosaic scenes, 3 on an upper register, and 3 below, dating back to the third and fourth decade of the XIII century.
Let us have a look at these first scenes, like browsing through a baby picture book.
Noah is represented drinking in a cup his own wine and lying naked and asleep on a bed as his son Ham sees him naked.
Noah drinking his wine and falling asleep naked
The son Ham pointing his finger to his eyes refers to his 2 brothers, Shem and Japheth, the nudity of their father. One of the two brothers brings his finger to his face as if thinking of a possible solution.
Ham refers the drunkennes of his father ot his two brothers
Shem and Japheth cover Noah walking backwards and turning their faces away.
Shem and Japheth cover Noah
A white column marks a later moment, when Noah curses Ham in the presence of the 2 other brothers.
Noah curses Ham
After another white column, to stress a later moment, Noah’s burial is represented.
Noah’s burial
After dooming the relationship between man and woman (Adam and Eve), brother and brother (Cain and Abel), it is now the turn of that between father and son (‘honour your father…’). The generational relationship is common to all cultures and times beginning with the Book of Proverbs.
Noah mocked by the son anticipates Christ, is a sort of pre-figuration of Christ.
Now let us proceed to the South-Eastern corner of the Doge’s Palace facing the Straw Bridge where the drunkenness was sculptured by Filippo Calendario between 1340 and 1355.
Noah is represented with a bowl slipping out of his hand and being covered by his two sons.
the South-Eastern corner of the Doge’s Palace: the two sons are covering their father Noah
detail of Noah’s bowl
Above Noah’s head are birds picking into beautiful wine grapes.
birds picking into wine grapes
The wine and the grapevine are the symbol of the Eucharist. The wine the Christian church-goer drinks is the blood of Jesus, the blood shed on the cross. Drinking this wine signifies the commemoration of the sacrifice of Jesus.
Ham is represented on the other side of the arch.
the 3 brothers, Ham on the very right hand side
In a tour we can discuss more, also including several painters who took up the subject from Bellini to Michelangelo in the Sistine Chapel.
Fiona Giusto
