The infant Moses rescued from the Nile 1520 - 1570

This etching by Andrea Schiavone, made around the mid-16th century, captures the moment Pharaoh's daughter discovers the infant Moses in the reeds of the Nile. The child's rescue is framed by the overarching tree, whose roots remind us of the interconnectedness of life and fate. Here, the women, with gestures of both alarm and tender curiosity, prefigure a theme that echoes across time. Consider, for instance, comparable imagery in ancient Roman sarcophagi, where similar groupings of figures surround a central, vulnerable figure, often in scenes of rescue or revelation. The protective stance of Pharaoh’s daughter embodies a primal archetype. Observe how this motif persists – a potent expression of compassion, evolving from antiquity through the Renaissance, and beyond. The image powerfully engages us on a deeply subconscious level, stirring primal emotions tied to protection and the cyclical nature of survival and renewal.