Mozes en Aaron Possibly 1628 - 1755

Jean Lepautre etched "Moses and Aaron" in the 17th century, and it presents a scene laden with symbolic weight. Moses and Aaron stand prominently, holding the tablets of the Law, a cornerstone of monotheistic faith. Above them, God is shown in the clouds, not unlike Jove himself. He echoes the iconography of classical deities, reflecting a blend of religious and classical motifs common in this period. Such blending was not merely decorative; it signified a cultural dance. This dance connects the authority of ancient wisdom with new religious understanding. Consider the Tablets of Law held by Moses. We see echoes of cuneiform tablets from Mesopotamia, or even the Roman legal tablets, all symbolizing codified knowledge. The law has a way of becoming visually represented as text. The emotional resonance of this etching lies in its depiction of divine law intertwined with earthly existence. It speaks to the eternal human quest for order, morality, and a connection to a higher power, a quest that reverberates through history and our collective psyche. The story of the image, like that of the law itself, is never really over.