Baroque Painting – Neapolitan School, 17th Century – Circle Of Mattia Preti

Moses Striking the Rock to Bring Forth Water

Important 17th-century oil on canvas, attributable to the circle of Mattia Preti (1613–1699), one of the great masters of Italian Baroque painting.
The scene depicts the biblical episode in which Moses, in the desert of Horeb, strikes the rock with his staff to bring forth water for the people of Israel (Exodus 17).

The painting stands out for its pictorial quality, the monumentality of its figures, and the refined use of light and color—elements that link it to the hand of Mattia Preti or his workshop, active between Naples and Malta in the second half of the 17th century.

The dramatic composition, expressive faces, and theatrical gestures are fully consistent with the Baroque style of the Calabrian master. The intense chiaroscuro, dynamic drapery, and robust figures are characteristic of Preti’s production and comparable to works housed in major public and private collections throughout Europe.

Mattia Preti, known as “The Calabrian Knight”, was a leading figure of Italian Baroque and one of the foremost followers of Caravaggio's naturalism. He worked in Rome, Naples, and Malta, distinguished by his powerful expressiveness and balanced religious narratives.
The subject depicted here—rich in symbolic strength—belongs to the highest register of 17th-century sacred art.

• Technique: Oil on canvas

• Period: 17th century (ca. 1655–1680)

• Attribution: Neapolitan School – Circle of Mattia Preti

• Condition: Good, with light wear consistent with age

• Frame: Original 17th-century gilded wood

• Dimensions: 157 x 104 cm