Moses Standing Striking The Rock In Front Of The Israelites, Drawing From The 17th Century

Moses Striking the Rock before the Israelites Italian School, 17th century Brown ink and wash on paper. This composition illustrates an episode from Exodus (17:5-6): while crossing the desert, the people of Israel, overcome by thirst, revolt against Moses. At God's command, Moses strikes the rock with his staff and causes a spring of living water to flow forth, saving the Hebrews. In the center of the page, Moses, identifiable by his long beard, performs the miracle, surrounded by a throng of people holding out containers to collect the water. Around him, men, women, and children express their thirst, while others are already drinking. The rich and dramatic composition conveys both the people's distress and the divine power acting through Moses.