Moses and the Tablets of the Law

Art Historical Context

In this maiolica panel, Moses stands on rocky ground at the left, raising the tablets of the law above a crowd of figures in colorful robes. Some kneel or reach toward him while others gesture in surprise, filling the center and right side of the composition. Trees frame the scene, with mountains and a pale sky beyond, all painted in soft tones on the flat earthenware surface using the fluid brushwork typical of tin-glazed decoration. Bartolomeo Terchi created this work around 1720 in San Quirico, Italy. His approach reflects the lively narrative tradition of early-eighteenth-century Italian ceramics, where biblical subjects were rendered with expressive gestures and balanced landscapes suited to the medium. The result is both decorative and devotional, inviting close looking at the story of the law being received. Today in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, the panel demonstrates how such ceramics brought sacred history into everyday settings through skilled glazing and painting. Its warm palette and clear storytelling continue to engage viewers with a familiar biblical moment.