The Finding of Moses

WAG 1995.103

Information

This print depicts a scene from the Old Testament of the Bible, in Exodus 2:3–10. The king of Egypt decreed that all male children of the Israelites should be killed at birth. To avoid this, the mother of Moses hid him in a basket by the river, which was discovered by the king's daughter and her maidservants when she went to the river to bathe. The scene was a popular choice for artists of the Renaissance period. Schiavone's print may be based on a drawing by Parmigianino and it is thought the Walker's print is a second impression. Schivaone was born in Croatia but was mainly active in Venice. He was a painter and etcher. Francis Richardson argues that he was highly innovative as an etcher and 'his technique was unlike that of any contemporary' (Richardson, 1980). In particular Schiavone made use of hatching to convey tone, form and light.