Roman School of the 17th Century
Moses Strikes Water from the Rock
(Probable preparatory sketch)
Oil on canvas in grisaille (47 x 67 cm. - In ebony frame 64 x 85 cm.)
Provenance: Sotheby's Milan, 12.06.01, Lot 165, Estimate 6-8,000,000 L. (Euro 3000-4,000) **
Full details (click HERE)
This fascinating canvas, depicting the Old Testament episode of Moses striking water from the rock, follows a descriptive structure that would lead us to believe we are looking at a precious preparatory sketch, a study for a larger altarpiece, or even more likely, a fresco.
Although it is difficult to identify the author, we can, however, place his work within the varied Roman school of the second half of the 17th or early 18th century, in the wake of Baroque classicism.
This work was created using the 'monochrome' technique in shades of gray (also called 'en grisaille'), which was a crucial phase in artistic design, particularly in the creation of sketches, used to define the volumes and composition of a work before applying the final color.
The event illustrated symbolizes divine salvation and faith, a popular theme in Baroque art, and narrates the miraculous episode that occurred during the biblical exodus of the Jewish people (ch. 17): having fled from Egypt where they were enslaved, the Jews were led by Moses towards the Promised Land, wandering in the Sinai desert. Their suffering was mitigated by God's help, thanks to the manna that rained from heaven, but one day, tired and thirsty, feeling abandoned by a God whose existence they began to doubt, they turned to Moses asking for a divine sign.
And so comes the miracle of the Great Prophet who, at God's instruction, strikes the rock with his rod, causing a cascade of water to gush forth, quenching the thirst of all present.
It is beautiful to observe how the author has represented the frenetic movement of the bodies, with plastic poses and a variety of reactions: some drinking avidly, some thanking God, some offering water to children, and others storing it by filling amphorae.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:
The work is sold complete with a pleasant frame and a certificate of authenticity and descriptive iconographic sheet.
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