Artwork
Moses with the Tables
Moses with the Tables is a print by Dominico Cunego. It dates from 1750 and is held in the collection of the Victoria and Albert Museum. The work is an engraved print portraying the biblical figure Moses clutching the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments.
About this work
Overview
The work is an engraved print portraying the biblical figure Moses clutching the stone tablets of the Ten Commandments. Executed on paper, the image forms part of the eighteenth‑century series *Schola Italica Picturæ*, where it appears as plate sixteen.
Subject & Meaning
Moses is rendered as a muscular, seated figure perched on a stone block, his torso twisted and one leg bent while the other rests on the slab. He holds the two inscribed tablets in a single hand, his wild hair and intense expression suggesting the weight of divine law and the struggle inherent in its delivery.
Technique & Style
The engraving, attributed to Domenico Cunego, employs pronounced chiaroscuro, using deep shadows and bright highlights to model the figure’s form. The strong contrast emphasizes the muscular anatomy and the dramatic pose, while the fine line work conveys the script etched on the tablets.
History & Provenance
Cunego’s print is a reproductive interpretation of an earlier composition by Parmigianino, adapting the Mannerist master’s design for a print audience. It was published within the *Schola Italica Picturæ*, a collection intended to disseminate notable Italian artworks through engraved reproductions.
Context
The series aimed to educate artists and connoisseurs by presenting exemplary Italian compositions in a portable format. By selecting a biblical scene, the series aligned with contemporary interests in religious subjects and the moral instruction they provided.
Legacy
As part of a broader effort to circulate Italian art beyond its original frescoes and canvases, Cunego’s engraving contributed to the diffusion of Parmigianino’s visual language across Europe, influencing subsequent printmakers and reinforcing the iconography of Moses with the tablets.
Artist & collection
Artist
Dominico Cunego made 18th-century prints after famous paintings by Raphael and other old masters.
