The Israelites fleeing Egypt with Moses at right extending his right hand and with a woman carrying an urn prostrate before him (1576, Met-Objekt 2317)
Original title: The Israelites fleeing Egypt with Moses at right extending his right hand and with a woman carrying an urn prostrate before him
kurzbeschreibung
This 1576 engraving by Cherubino Alberti depicts the flight of the Israelites from Egypt. Moses raises his right hand on the right side of the image, while a woman with an urn kneels before him. The print ranks among the carefully executed engravings of the late sixteenth century.
Description
A group of people fills a rural setting in this horizontal composition. On the right stands a man with his right hand extended; beside him a woman kneels with a vessel. Trees and a small building close off the background. The figures wear ordinary garments; some stand, others kneel or sit. The image is monochrome, with even tonal values characteristic of engraving.
Context
Cherubino Alberti, born Zaccaria Mattia, made this print in Italy in 1576. Biblical narratives were widely circulated in printmaking at the time. Alberti was known for detailed reproductions and his own designs after biblical subjects. The Exodus is a common theme in Christian iconography and stands for the salvation of the people of Israel.
Impact
The precise flow of lines and the calm, narrative arrangement of the biblical event shape the impression. Even light distribution and the clear grouping of figures give the print an ordered, almost monumental stillness. Moses's gesture and the kneeling woman draw the viewer directly into the action.
Technique
Engraving is an intaglio process in which the design is cut into a metal plate and then etched with acid. This method allows fine lines and gradations, used here for the accurate rendering of figures and background. At 21 cm high and 40.5 cm wide, the sheet is relatively broad for a print, emphasizing the horizontal flow of the narrative.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)