Moses Striking the Rock 

Augustin Hirschvogel created this intricate linear print, "Moses Striking the Rock", sometime in the mid-16th century. Look closely at the composition; it’s divided into distinct spatial zones, each teeming with figures and animals rendered with meticulous detail through dense cross-hatching. Hirschvogel’s formal arrangement invites a semiotic reading. Moses, positioned centrally, directs our gaze to the miracle unfolding on the right – water gushing from the rock, quenching the thirst of his followers. Yet, the figures around Moses, rendered with near-skeletal faces, present a stark contrast, almost challenging the divine intervention. Is Hirschvogel hinting at the transience of earthly existence, even amidst divine provision? The stark linearity of the work emphasizes a sense of order and control. The narrative is visually structured, yet the underlying tension questions fixed notions of faith and salvation. The artwork encourages us to look beyond the surface narrative and engage with the deeper structural contradictions inherent in the human condition.