Three women pulling in the basket with the infant Moses from the water 1724 - 1734

Simon de la Vallée's print captures the moment three women retrieve the infant Moses from the Nile. The basket, a humble vessel of salvation, holds a profound symbol found across cultures, reminiscent of arks carrying life through chaos. Consider the recurring motif of rescue from water—a flood, a river—echoing the collective human experience. The image calls to mind the Epic of Gilgamesh, where Utnapishtim survives a great flood in a specially built vessel. This symbol of the life-saving vessel transcends cultures, reappearing time and again. The psychological resonance is potent: water, often representing the subconscious, yields a savior. This image speaks to our deepest fears of abandonment and our longing for deliverance. It triggers a powerful, subconscious response. The theme of rescue and rebirth resurfaces throughout history, carried by the enduring power of images. It evolves, yet its emotional core—the hope for salvation in times of crisis—remains anchored in the depths of our collective memory.