Italian school; XVIII century. "Moses deposited in the Nile", Moses saved from the waters". Pair of oils on canvas. Relined.

About Auction

Live

OLD MASTERS

By Setdart Auction House

Oct 20, 2021

Set Reminder 2021-10-20 07:30:00 2021-10-20 07:30:00 America/New_York Bidsquare Bidsquare : OLD MASTERS https://www.bidsquare.com/auctions/setdart-auction-house/old-masters-7700
Setdart Auction House sofia@setdart.com

View Full Catalog (168)

• Lot Description
  Italian school; XVIII century. "Moses deposited in the Nile", Moses saved from the waters". Pair of oils on canvas. Relined. Size: 25,5 x 35,5 cm (x2); 37,5 x 47,5 cm (frame, x2). In this pair of complementary works, the author collects two fundamental scenes of the history of Moses. They are the first moments of the prophet's life, in which he is abandoned in the river Nile, and later saved from the waters. In the Old Testament (Exodus 1:15-17), it is narrated how there is an ordinance by the Pharaoh, to kill all males born, Moses' mother, Iojebed, hid her baby (Moses) for three months, but once she could no longer hide him, she decided to introduce him in a wicker basket filled with mud and tar, to deposit him in the Nile, hoping that the child would be found. During the crossing of the waterproof basket, Moses was followed by his sister Miriam, until finally, he was found. In one of these canvases, three figures can be seen standing by the river, trying to deposit the basket in the Nile. These figures correspond to Moses' father, crouching, holding the basket, his sister Miriam in the center, and his mother Iojebed on the far right. In the case of the other painting, the author depicts the moment in which Moses is found and rescued from the waters (Exodus 2: 1-10). The Pharaoh's daughter, when going to bathe, notices the presence of the basket with the child, she decides to take care of the child and look for a midwife to feed him. The scene is composed with the presence of Pharaoh's daughter, located on the left, a maiden holding the baby in her arms, and in the center the figure of Miriam, which is repeated in both paintings. A fundamental presence, since, in the biblical story, it is she who, after Moses is rescued, comes to ensure the child's salvation and offers her mother's services as a wet nurse. Both scenes have a similar composition, as the figures are in the center of the composition, following a triangular scheme, characteristic of the period. As for the conception of the characters, their folded and vaporous clothes, added to the palette used by the author in them, place us in the aesthetic patterns of the Italian school. In the case of the landscape, both the vegetation and the architectural elements that are present, especially in the painting in which Moses is saved, the monumentality is evident, a characteristic that also occurs in the figures that populate the scene.
• Shipping Info

  • In-house shipping available. Please inquire at admin@setdart.com.

• Buyer's Premium
  • 22.00 %