Moses Drawing Water from the Rock
Medium
Pen and brown ink and brush and brown wash, with traces of graphite and black chalk, on cream laid paper, laid down on blue laid paper
Dimensions
46.1 × 71.4 cm (18 3/16 × 28 1/8 in.)
Classification
pen and ink drawings
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
95741
Art Historical Context
This dynamic drawing captures the biblical miracle from the Book of Exodus, in which Moses strikes a rock in the wilderness to provide water for the thirsty Israelites. Rendered in the style of Raymond de Lafage, a 17th-century French draftsman known for his energetic compositions and religious subjects, the scene emphasizes movement and drama through clustered figures and flowing lines that guide the viewer’s eye across the composition. Executed in pen and brown ink with brush-applied washes on cream laid paper, the work showcases the expressive possibilities of this medium. The layered wash...