ATTRIBUÉ À GASPAR JACOB VAN OPSTAL Anvers, 1654... Lot n° 63
result :
Not available
Estimate :
Subscribers only
Moses saved from the waters
Canvas 113.5 x 161.5 - 44 5/8 x 63 1/2 in.
Moses saved from the Waters, oil on canvas
PROVENANCE
Christie's sale, Paris, June 16, 2023, no. 143 as "École française du début du XVIIIe siècle. Entourage de Nicolas Bertin"; Anonymous sale, Drouot Montaigne, Paris, June 25, 1991, no. 50.
An attribution to Jean-Baptiste de Champaigne (1631 - 1681) has been suggested.
The biblical theme of Moses' rescue was popular in 17th-century iconography. For biblical art historians, the craze for depictions of the life of Moses is explained by its allegorical and prefigurative character for the life of Christ.
In this way, Moses' rescue foreshadows that of the Infant Jesus escaping the massacre of the Holy Innocents. Bossuet (1627 - 1704) also analyzed this scene as a foreshadowing of Christ's resurrection after his passion1.
The theme and its symbolism were particularly appreciated by classical painters, notably Nicolas Poussin (1594 - 1665), whose Moses Saved from the Waters is the best-known interpretation of the theme.
These biblical allegories developed rapidly in the wake of the Council of Trent, which initiated a reaffirmation of the Catholic faith in Europe in reaction to the Reformation. The widespread practice of allegoresis (meaning the deciphering of allegories), aimed at rekindling devotion among the faithful, gave them a didactic purpose. The biblical scenes depicted are those that arouse the emotions of the public, generally pity and suffering through the depiction of Christ's passion or the martyrdom of saints, or tenderness through the juvenile figure of the little child. The theme of Moses' rescue from the waters is a prime example.
1 Bossuet writes: "The first thing God did to let his people know that he was preparing a liberator for them in the person of Moyse, was to allow him to be exposed to the same torment as the others, and like them thrown into the Nile to perish" in BOSSUET Jean-Bénigne, Elévations sur les mystères, 1687, ed. by M. Dréano, Paris, 1962, page 229.
We use cookies to provide you with a better browsing experience, perform site traffic analysis, and deliver content and advertisements most relevant to your interests.
Cookie management:
By allowing these cookies, you agree to the deposit, reading and use of tracking technologies necessary for their proper functioning. Read more about our privacy policy.