Pterosaur Illustration and the Flood
Someone who wants to create a realistic illustration is likely to use surroundings that are authentic. Something that is used to represent historical matters are expected to have things that are appropriate to the period; no cowboys on horses firing ray guns, for instance. The same would apply to biblical illustrations.
Let's take a few more steps back. An illustration of the Genesis Flood would indicate animals that the artist expected to be alive at the time — especially if he believes the Bible. Way back in 1863, Edward Burne-Jones made a bit of art depicting Noah's Ark just after the Flood. While there are several errors in it. (Also, this one by Paul Gustave Louis Christophe Doré is gruesome, and there should be no bodies after the Flood, but the Ark looks good). Burne-Jones had some points in his favor as well.
But why a pterosaur in the art? It's not like he saw on for himself, but he had access to information about such things. Apparently, he wanted to show that this critter was living at the time of the Flood. Also, the Ark itself is rather good, not like the silly stuff that people use to entertain children. Misrepresentations of the Ark or any other biblical history make it seem like just a story, and that's no good.
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But why a pterosaur in the art? It's not like he saw on for himself, but he had access to information about such things. Apparently, he wanted to show that this critter was living at the time of the Flood. Also, the Ark itself is rather good, not like the silly stuff that people use to entertain children. Misrepresentations of the Ark or any other biblical history make it seem like just a story, and that's no good.
Have you ever thought about drawing an image of the events surrounding the global Flood of Noah? If so, what would you include in your depiction, assuming contemporary knowledge of animals that lived during that period? Would you include extinct kinds of animals such as dinosaurs, dicynodonts and pterosaurs, or only those alive today? To help explore these questions a case-in-point comes from a nineteenth century drawing recently on display in the Tate Britain Art Museum, London, entitled “Noah receiving the dove back onto the Ark” (1863).1 It was drawn with pen on a wooden block by English artist Edward Burne-Jones (1833–1898). Considered one of the last Pre-Raphaelites, before becoming an artist he had intended to become a Christian minister. His depiction of the Ark and what is floating in the flood water prompts several points worth discussing.To continue reading, click on "A pterosaur in the Flood waters? — Artistry and being consistent with the Biblical text".