Artwork
Moses Striking Water from the Rock
Moses Striking Water from the Rock is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Giulio Bonasone. It dates from 1546 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Giulio Bonasone’s 1546 engraving, titled *Moses Striking Water from the Rock*, presents a densely populated biblical episode on laid paper. Executed in the mid‑sixteenth century, the print resides in the National Gallery of Art, Washington, and exemplifies the Italian printmaker’s skill in rendering complex narratives through line.
Subject & Meaning
The image captures the moment Moses, staff in hand, smashes a rock to provide water for the wandering Israelites. Figures surround the fissure, some reaching for the emerging flow, others holding vessels, while a woman lifts a child toward the source. The composition underscores themes of divine provision and communal reliance.
Technique & Style
Bonasone employs fine, cross‑hatching and stippling to model the folds of garments, the texture of stone, and the atmospheric sky. The precision of his engraved lines creates subtle gradations of shadow, giving the crowded scene a sense of depth despite the medium’s monochrome limits.
History & Provenance
Born in Bologna around 1498, Bonasone trained under Marcantonio Raimondi and became known chiefly for his engravings, both after other masters and from his own designs. This particular work, produced in 1546, entered the National Gallery of Art’s collection in the twentieth century, where it remains on view.
Context
The print reflects the Renaissance interest in biblical narratives as moral exempla and as opportunities for complex figural arrangement. Bonasone’s choice to depict a moment of miraculous sustenance aligns with contemporary devotional practices that emphasized the providence of God for the faithful.
Artist & collection
Artist
Giulio Bonasone (c. 1498 – after 1574) (or Giulio de Antonio Buonasone or Julio Bonoso) was an Italian painter and engraver born in Bologna. He possibly studied painting under Lorenzo Sabbatini, and painted a Purgatory…
