Artwork
Moses Drawing Water From the Rock

Moses Drawing Water From the Rock is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Luigi Ademollo. It dates from 1806 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Moses Drawing Water From the Rock is a drawing created by Luigi Ademollo in 1806 using pen and black ink, black wash, and white gouache on wove paper.
Subject & Meaning
The drawing depicts a chaotic scene of people gathered around Moses, who strikes a rock with a staff to produce water, a biblical narrative. The crowd's varied postures convey desperation and urgency.
Technique & Style
Ademollo employed loose, expressive strokes and a mix of dark ink and white highlights to achieve a dramatic effect. The use of white gouache emphasizes key figures and creates a textured, sketchy appearance.
Context
The drawing's emotive and expressive qualities are characteristic of the Romanticism movement, which emphasized intense emotions and dramatic representation.
Artist & collection















