Artwork
Moses Striking the Rock
Moses Striking the Rock is an ink print by the Baroque artist Claudine Bouzonnet-Stella. It dates from 1687 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Claudine Bouzonnet‑Stella’s print Moses Striking the Rock, executed in 1687, is an etching and engraving rendered on two sheets of laid paper. The work is part of the collection of the National Gallery of Art in Washington, D.C. It presents a densely populated biblical episode in a compact, dramatic composition.
Subject & Meaning
The image depicts the moment from the Exodus narrative when Moses, raised arm aloft, commands the people to draw water from a fissure in the rock. Figures in flowing robes surround him, some fallen or recoiling, conveying the urgency and tension of the miracle. The chaotic arrangement underscores the desperation of the Israelites and the authority of the prophet.
Technique & Style
Bouzonnet‑Stella combined etching and engraving, employing acid‑bitten lines for texture and fine detail alongside hand‑cut incisions for sharper edges. The contrast between deep shadows and illuminated areas creates a stark chiaroscuro effect, heightening the sense of drama. The use of laid paper, with its ribbed texture, adds subtle tonal variation to the print’s surface.
History & Provenance
Created in the late seventeenth century, the print reflects Bouzonnet‑Stella’s engagement with biblical subjects popular in French printmaking circles. It entered the National Gallery of Art’s holdings through a mid‑twentieth‑century acquisition, where it remains catalogued as an example of her skill in combining narrative intensity with technical precision.
Artist & collection
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The Raising of Lazarus
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The Gathering of Manna
Saint Benedict Healing the Possessed
Saint John the Baptist in the River Jordan
Baptism
Moses and the Brazen Serpent
Joseph Reveals Himself to His Brothers
Pan and Syrinx
The Prima Macchina for the Chinea of 1739: Mount Parnassus with Apollo, the Muses, and Pegasus
Potare sitientes