Noah.

[evaldart]

I have been approached to interpret a life-size Noah, in steel. As I make my way through the initial conceptualizing (because ALL art is conceptual art) by imagining the gesture as it might be seasoned by the bible story. Job or Moses or St Sebastian seem to fly off the fingers where stances and bodily manifestations are concerned. And the props...there's nothing like a good staff, or weapon or clothing to wrench the compositional opportunities. But I must say, I am at a bit of a loss with ol' Noah (and I really think this has to happen with no reference to animals or and ark). How would Noah, sit, stand, walk converse (with God?) or embrace, etc? So I appeal to you folks here, whose commentary I value above all eggheads and regulars, to hash this out a bit.
I will post my progress in the usual preliminary form of rough sketches - which I am fully aware usually only suffice to tell me what NOT to do.

Thank you all in advance.

[GlennT]

Consider that Noah was a humble person but righteous and full of faith, believing in the word of God while subject to the ridicule and scorn of his neighbors. It would be important to determine whether to depict him at that stage of his life, or at ark-loading time, or after the rain had fallen, when he could have had an, "Aha, suckers!" moment but for a pre-occupation with how to clean up several hundred tons of animal poop from the poop of the sloop.

[rika]

Wow, what a project! Congrats! I imagine him as an average person, who was given an enourmous task that almost crushes him, but he knows he HAS to complete his task or there is no future. He's a reluctant hero. I would imagine that he does a lot of thinking on the how to accomplish his "job", so I see his stance to be that of a standing "Thinker".

[evaldart]

Thanks Glenn...yes identifying WHICH Noah (because everyone is someones else depending upon the condition-at-hand). The RAIN indeed. The flood, the torrents, the crappy weather, the tossing and turning...there is determination, withstanding, wherewithal an assured defiance and perhaps a wincing confidence (in the face of it all). Now were getting somewhere.

I should also mention that a facial expression will not be a huge factor...but perhaps a beard and longish hair is in order because steel, as Scrap showed us, can make for some good surface mass by its ability to extend out from its bodily core.

[racine]

'noah' was a biblical rip-off from the babylonian bronze age gilgamesh epic where he was called utnapishtu, great beards the sumerians.
.. however i like the english version as seen in chaucers' millers' tale.....now there is a red hot inspiration.

[Mack]

"Staff" in hand is good. Solitary figure standing, head raised, eyes to the heavens, expression something like: "...Say What ???"

[evaldart]

Thankd Racine...yes, it all goes back to Gilgamesh, doesnt it. The original epic that created the profession of the "scribe"; a class of documenters...sedentary and soft yet thoughtful, fastidious and busy, noodling endlessly over tableture; interpreting everything for everyone.

(Damned, now I wanna do the scribe instead of Noah. )

Must be careful not to end up with a robed captain Ahab...wrong sculpture.

[fritchie]

My first thought was similar to Rika's. A thinking figure, puzzled expression of some sort, but clearly not Rodin - too sedentary. Those middle - Easterners were classically pretty thin, regardless of the energy needed for this task. Remember Jehovah or whatever his name could do anything with anyone who was willing.

Don't need water, but possibly a reference of some sort if you like, maybe a fish or other watery creature at his feet. I don't see rocks either, just a standing figure, and probably looking up, not down. On the other hand, looking up should reflect surprise. Looking down classically is puzzlement or doubt. That would be OK too, but I like surprise better.

Sounds like a great opportunity. Congratulations.

[Kilkenny]

Must go back and re-read the text before I comment at all seriously.

My first reaction, though, is that I don't want to see another Biblical figure with a long flowing beard. Visually it's too hackneyed. I'd say try to update it. Find something in Noah to fix him as a relevant figure, and reinvent the artistic vocabulary with it, if possible.

My favourite Christ is the Christ of the Turin Shroud. Unlike the elegant, bearded holy man of western myth, in the shroud we get a rugged, hard man, perhaps what a Christ would have to be to survive the lifestyle. This is powerful, and doesn't pander to historical cliche.

Maybe also research what the characteristics of such a man would have been in the period - actual dress; racial characteristics; how he would have lived, etc. I could imagine him as a massive figure, given what he does - a big strong giant of a labourer. Hard work making boats.... But he could be portrayed as a 'problem solver' - a technician. A man of the mind. I also like the idea of demythologising him: make him REAL.

Facial expression: don't pander to fundamentalist notions of divine inspiration.
I like the facial expression of the Madonna on lots of Renaissance sculpture and painting - of someone who feels she is in over her depth! Someone who has just lost her actual life for one never requested, a figure with a kind of fore-knowledge of what is to happen - a troubled reflective figure.

Just a few thoughts...

[skip77]

probably too late on this but how about a wood working tool in the hand of Noah? either a wood mallet or some kind of simple block plane with him looking up?