The Animals Going toward the Ark
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione
1652
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione
1652
ink
From the collection of National Gallery of Art
Dominant colour
The Animals Going toward the Ark is a 1652 ink by Giovanni Benedetto Castiglione, a Baroque work, held at National Gallery of Art.
This print shows a chaotic scene of animals rushing toward a ship in the distance. The landscape is rough and uneven, with jagged rocks and tangled trees. Dark lines and shading create a sense of movement and urgency, as if the animals are in a hurry. The artist used a technique that lets ink build up in layers, making some areas look almost three-dimensional. This helps show the animals’ panic and the wild terrain. Next, look up etching to see how artists use acid and metal plates to create these detailed prints.
