The Sacrifice of Noah

The Sacrifice of Noah — depicting the patriarch's burnt offering of thanksgiving after the Flood's recession — was a relatively unusual Old Testament subject in seventeenth-century Roman painting compared to the more popular scenes of the Ark or the Dove. Maratta's treatment, dated to around 1680, situates the subject within the classicizing tradition of Old Testament narrative that flourished in Rome among painters influenced by Poussin and his followers. The sacrifice scene allowed painters to explore themes of covenant, gratitude, and the relationship between humanity and the divine after catastrophe — themes with continuing theological resonance in post-plague, post-war European culture. The work is now in the Ashmolean Museum in Oxford, alongside the Visitation also by Maratta, suggesting both works may have arrived through the same collection. At this stage in his career Maratta was at the peak of his authority, and this work would have demonstrated his range beyond the religious subjects that formed the core of his output.

Canvas painting in which the sacrificial fire provides a natural light source that Maratta can exploit for dramatic chiaroscuro. The warm glow of the altar flame would contrast with cooler ambient light in the sky above, creating the layered luminosity characteristic of Maratta's mature handling. Landscape elements frame the figures, connecting the Old Testament narrative to the natural world recovering from the Flood.