Moses Telling the Israelites to Gather the Manna and Moses Striking the Rock 1530 - 1560

Giulio Bonasone created this engraving, "Moses Telling the Israelites to Gather the Manna and Moses Striking the Rock," in Italy sometime in the mid-16th century. It illustrates two episodes from the Book of Exodus, combining them into a single scene. The choice of this subject matter during the Italian Renaissance reflects a culture deeply intertwined with religious narratives, but it also represents the relationship between the artist and the dominant religious institutions of the time. The Catholic Church played a central role in artistic patronage, dictating themes and styles. Bonasone's work here shows respect for the Church's cultural authority. The detailed rendering of the figures and the landscape also shows an effort to align with the artistic standards valued by elite society, in which a premium was placed on classical and biblical themes. To fully understand this print, one might research the conditions under which Bonasone and other artists worked, the expectations of their patrons, and the theological interpretations of Exodus prevalent at the time.