Plate 8: Israelites Collecting Manna, from Exodus 15 and 16, after a lost fresco in the basamento of Bay 8 of the Vatican Loggia
Original title: Plate 8: Israelites Collecting Manna, from Exodus 15 and 16, after a lost fresco in the basamento of Bay 8 of the Vatican Loggia
kurzbeschreibung
Between 1650 and 1677 Pietro Santi Bartoli committed the gathering of the manna from Exodus 15 and 16 to an etching. His source was a fresco in the basement level of the eighth bay of the Vatican Loggia, a work that no longer exists. The horizontal sheet measures 9.3 × 24 cm and belongs to a series of prints; it ranks among the carefully executed records of Baroque reproductive art.
Description
Scattered across the ground, several figures gather the manna: some kneel, others stand upright and fill their baskets. Two people further back gesture toward the collectors, which suggests a teaching or preaching role. The figures' clothing follows traditional garments such as were imagined for biblical times. Tents and architectural elements toward the rear point to a camp or a temple precinct. The layout runs horizontally across the full width of the sheet, the light is evenly distributed, and the rendering stays monochrome.
Context
Bartoli (1635–1700) was an Italian engraver whose reputation rests on reproductions after antique and Renaissance models. This etching was made between 1650 and 1677 as part of a series documenting the frescoes that Raphael and his workshop created in the Vatican Loggia. Because the original in bay 8 was lost, Bartoli's print carries particular weight as a pictorial source. The series was aimed at collectors and scholars who could not visit the Vatican works themselves.
Impact
The careful linework and calm arrangement give the image a clear, narrative presence. Since the figures pose so variously, the scene feels lively yet remains dignified, and the biblical event is easy to follow. Evenly spread light draws attention to the fidelity of detail and the craftsmanship of the etching.
Technique
The sheet was executed as an etching, an intaglio process in which the drawing is etched into a metal plate. With fine lines and hatching Bartoli achieved textures and spatial depth. At 9.3 × 24 cm the format is small, as was usual for reproductive prints made for collectors.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)