Francesco Curradi, *moses Saved From The Waters*, Oil On Canvas, First Half Of The 17th Century

Francesco Curradi, Moses Saved from the Waters, oil on canvas, first half of the 17th century.

A major Italian painting from the first half of the 17th century. This oil on canvas depicts a fragment of exceptional quality from the painting “Moses Saved from the Waters,” attributed to Francesco Curradi (1570–1661), the most important figure in 17th-century Florentine devotional painting; no authentication is available. The Florentine taste for luxury is evident in the quality of the drapery and especially in the symbols, such as the lily, that adorn the elegant robes. The Bible recounts that, to escape the Pharaoh’s persecution, Moses’s mother placed the child in a basket on the Nile. He was later found and adopted by the Pharaoh’s daughter, who had gone to the river with her attendants. A third figure can be seen in the upper left, looking toward us and breaking the fourth wall; this is likely a self-portrait of the painter or a portrait of the patron. A painting of exceptional size and impact, adorned with a modern carved and gilded frame. Overall condition is fair. Dimensions without frame: 172 x 136 cm.