God's Covenant With Noah (Of Fowls After Their Kind, and of Cattle after Their Kind, of Every Creeping Thing of the Earth After His Kind, Two of Every Sort Shall Come unto Thee, to Keep Them Alive), Genesis VI.20.

Description

This engraving depicts the scene described in Genesis, chapter 6, verse 20 of the Old Testament, "From you will come all kinds of birds, animals, and reptiles, pair by pair, to keep them alive." According to Genesis, God decided to destroy the earth with a flood due to human wickedness, but He showed mercy to Noah and his family. God commanded Noah to build an ark, taking two of each species, a male and a female. This way, life could begin anew after the flood. The engraving shows a crowd of animals heading towards the ark. Among the animals are elephants, giraffes, ostriches, pelicans, gazelles, rhinoceroses, and many other species of birds. This diversity is presented as a representation of all creation under God's command. In the upper right corner of the engraving, the ark's door is visible, with some birds heading toward the open window, while land animals are moving across the ground. This composition represents the balance between divine mercy and the restoration of the natural order. The animals' instinctive and peaceful coming together is a visual expression of submission to God's protective will. This also emphasizes that the flood was not merely a punishment, but a purification and a new beginning. Therefore, this engraving not only depicts the narrative of Noah's Ark, but also visualizes the sacred covenant between humanity and God, God's appreciation of creation, and the sacred order of nature.