The Ark lands at Mount Ararat
The fist scene in the panel shows a pyramidal shaped ark having landed on top of the Mount
Ararat. Noah and his family emerge from the Ark, while birds rush out of the top. Animals stroll in the landscape: a lion, lioness, bear and an ox have just emerged from the ark. A corpse is just at the feet of Noah and his family. One of the unlucky multitude who were not saved in the ark.
Noah makes an offering to God
In the right foreground Noah offers a sacrifice to God after surviving the flood.
Creation of the Rainbow
In the upper right corner, God emerges from a series of concentric circles recalling His promises to Noah that He would never destroy any living creature on earth.
Noah drinks too much
In the left foreground of the panel a drunk and half-nude Noah sprawls inside a vine-draped shed din front of two wine barrels. Noah’s son Halm calls his brother over to cover their father after failing to cover himself.
Special Notes:
On the left corner Ghiberti filled up the panel with several birds in flight: an eagle, a stag and a curious elephant whose skin carries a hatched pattern. Either he or his assistants had probably never seen a real elephant.
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