Raphaël - Noé et ses fils ; Les Apôtres autour du tombeau de la Vierge, 1943-01

This drawing presents two distinct groupings of figures, likely preparatory studies for larger compositions. The upper register shows kneeling figures in prayer or mourning, while the lower register depicts a dynamic group of men, including a bearded patriarch gesturing to his companions.

Noah was viewed by Renaissance Neoplatonists as a central figure in the 'Prisca Theologia' or 'Ancient Theology,' serving as the bridge that preserved antediluvian wisdom and the Hermetic tradition through the Great Flood.