Artwork
Moses Striking the Rock
Moses Striking the Rock is an unspecified painting by Gioacchino Assereto. It dates from 1630 and is held in the collection of the Los Angeles County Museum of Art.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1630 by Genoese painter Gioacchino Assereto, this early Baroque oil presents the biblical episode where Moses, obeying divine instruction, smashes a rock to provide water for the wandering Israelites. The work belongs to the Los Angeles County Museum of Art’s collection and exemplifies Assereto’s prominence as a history painter in 17th‑century Italy.
Subject & Meaning
The composition captures the moment of divine intervention, emphasizing Moses as the conduit of God’s providence. Around him, a crowd of Israelites reacts with urgency: a woman leans toward a large bowl, a man steadies a jug, and others reach out, underscoring the collective dependence on the miraculous source of water.
Technique & Style
Assereto employs chiaroscuro to model the figures, allowing light to carve out forms against a darker background and impart a palpable sense of depth. Warm, earthy pigments dominate the palette, reinforcing the scene’s tension while the careful rendering of drapery and facial expressions heightens its emotional resonance.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered private collections before being acquired by the Los Angeles County Museum of Art, where it remains on display. Its provenance traces a path from 17th‑century Genoa to a major American institution, reflecting the broader movement of Italian Baroque works into international museum holdings.
Context
Assereto’s work aligns with the Counter‑Reformation’s emphasis on clear, didactic religious imagery. By depicting a dramatic, narrative moment from the Exodus, the painting serves both devotional and instructional purposes, mirroring the period’s artistic agenda to reinforce biblical themes through accessible, emotionally charged scenes.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Gioacchino Assereto (1600 – 28 June 1649) was an Italian painter of the early Baroque period and one of the most prominent history painters active in Genoa in the first half of the 17th century.
