Moses brings forth water from the rock
Circle of Francesco Bassano II the Younger
(Bassano 1549 - Venice 1592)
Oil on canvas
Contemporary frame
Canvas dimensions 89 x 129 frame 105 x 142
The painting has been perfectly relined in the last century and is in excellent condition.
The work is cataloged in the
PHOTOTECA of the "FONDAZIONE FEDERICO ZERI" of the UNIVERSITY of BOLOGNA, card n°44432. (See last photo)
Provenance Christie's Auction, London (UK)
of July 24, 1959 - lot n°76
This important Venetian canvas from the late 16th century surprisingly depicts the scene of a miraculous event that occurred during the biblical exodus of the Jewish people.
Having fled from Egypt where they were enslaved, the Jews are led by Moses towards the Promised Land.
For forty years they wander in the Sinai desert and their suffering is mitigated by the help of God who rains manna from the sky. One day, tired and thirsty, the Jews feel abandoned by a God whose existence they begin to doubt and turn to Moses asking for a Divine sign. And here is the miracle of the Great Prophet who strikes the rock with his staff causing a waterfall to gush forth.
The scene particularly lends itself to the styles of the lively Venetian painting of the 16th century, which sees the "Bassano" Family as its greatest and most celebrated exponents. This splendid work is in fact part of one of the most successful biblical depictions executed in the workshop of Francesco Bassano the Younger, son of Jacopo and grandson of the founder Francesco Bassano the Elder.
The painting is of great pictorial commitment with an infinite series of characters and animals described with inimitable mastery. The composition, completely saturated with figures and details, is truly enjoyable in every area of the large canvas. The viewer is not attracted by a main protagonist or a focal point, but his gaze is lost in the continuous search for new animated images.
The large dimensions of the canvas are typical of Bassano's production and allow to express all the fantasy of these great Masters of Venetian art. Finally, note the extraordinary chromatic range of the painting, truly exceptional even considering the era.
We reiterate its excellent condition with an old professionally executed relining and a light cleaning with the application of protective varnish to highlight the brilliance of the colors that have remained unchanged over time.
This important painting, in addition to an evident very high pictorial level and a magnificent visual effect, offers a historical guarantee ascertained, documented in the Photographic Library of Federico Zeri, the most qualified scholar and connoisseur of ancient Italian painting.
See all the details of the work on:
https://www.antichitaischia.it/it/prodotto/mose-fa-scaturire-l-acqua-dalla-roccia
