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 2333)
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
An engraving by Cherubino Alberti from 1576 presents an episode from the Book of Exodus: the Israelites' departure from Egypt. At the right, Moses raises his right hand, and before him a woman with an urn sinks to her knees. This horizontal print belongs to Renaissance printmaking.
Description
A crowd of people streams across the width of the sheet through a rural setting. At the right edge stands a man with his right arm outstretched, presumably Moses; directly beside him a woman kneels with a vessel in her hands. Trees and a house suggest the countryside. The figures wear garments typical of biblical and historical scenes. Every part is rendered with care in a single tonal range, as suits an engraving.
Context
Cherubino Alberti, born in 1553 and died in 1615, was an Italian engraver and painter of the late Renaissance whose reputation rests chiefly on his prints. This engraving was made in 1576, at a time when biblical subjects circulated widely in print. Alberti often worked from other artists' designs; for this sheet an invention of his own may be assumed. It belongs to a series of biblical scenes made for collectors and lovers of art.
Impact
The clear, narrative layout captures the moment of the departure from Egypt. Even light and deliberately placed lines give the sheet a calm, almost solemn character. The wealth of detail rewards close looking and reveals Alberti's sure craftsmanship.
Technique
Engraved into a copper plate and then pulled on paper, the sheet is an engraving. Fine lines and hatching produce graduated greys that carry the monochrome effect. At roughly 18 by 40.5 centimetres, the format matches common sixteenth-century prints.
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Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)