Copy after "The Discovery of Moses" by Veronese
- Original dimensions
- 17.3 x 31.2 cm
- Museum
- Fitzwilliam Museum
- Year
- 1855
Scene depicted
This painting eloquently narrates the discovery of Moses by Pharaoh's daughter, a moment where humanity meets divinity. The rich composition testifies to exquisite attention to detail, where each character ages with emotion and depth. The viewer is invited to feel the weight of a centennial event, a striking pictorial work that connects the sacred and the everyday.
Historical context
Created in 1855 in the vibrant city of Paris, this canvas masterfully fits within the neoclassical movement, an artistic movement that celebrates rationality and harmony inspired by antiquity. Michelangelo and Veronese are palpable influences in this painting , created at the heart of an era where art reinvents itself in modernity. Housed in the Fitzwilliam Museum , this masterpiece contemporary recalls the frescoes of the Renaissance while exploring deeper and more moving themes.
Place in the artist's career
This painting is at a crossroads in Edgar Degas 's career, marking a turn towards works like “The Dancers” and “The Dance Class,” which reveal his ongoing exploration of the human form. This canvas , with its exceptional meticulousness, enriches Degas's stylistic palette while showcasing his classical heritage and the Renaissance of his sensibility.
Anecdote
“Beauty hides from the eyes of the indifferent.” This reflection from Edgar Degas could resonate with the inspirations that guided his skilled hand in creating this canvas . Imagine a sweet afternoon in the Parisian boulevards, the light haloed with timeless magic, when the artist, captivated by the stories of ancient Egypt, sketches the grandeur of Moses touching the divine light.