"The Drunkenness of Noah" oil on canvas by Giovanni Andrea de Ferrari (Genoa 1598–1669), expertise by Dr. Anna Orlando.
This unpublished and autograph painting, with a more elongated and horizontal format and minor variations compared to the already known version displayed at the "Galleria Nazionale di Parma," is a masterful example of Giovanni Andrea de Ferrari's maturity. The work illustrates the biblical episode from Genesis (9:20-27).
The large dimensions of the canvas give it a solemn, almost theatrical, appearance, typical of the grand Genoese commissions of the 17th century. The palette is rich, with deep reds and intense blues emerging from the brown background. The dramatic chiaroscuro reveals the influence of Bernardo Strozzi and the Flemish lesson of Van Dyck, mediated by the author's naturalistic sensibility, as well as the more recent and fresh suggestions of Fiasella. The rendering of the still-life elements in the foreground, such as the overturned cup and the flask, is extraordinary, testifying to de Ferrari's attention to realistic detail. The work is in excellent condition, retaining the freshness of the brushstrokes and the brilliance of the original pigments. The painting was exhibited in the section dedicated to Baroque Genoese painting at the important exhibition "Art and Wine," curated by Annalisa Scarpa and Nicola Spinosa, held in Verona, Palazzo della Gran Guardia, from April 11 to August 16, 2015.
Canvas dimensions: 140x215 cm, with frame: 165x240 cm
