Infant Moses Taken from his Mother c. 18th century

Curator: Nicolaas Verkolje, a Dutch artist born in 1673, created this drawing called "Infant Moses Taken from his Mother." Editor: The sepia wash gives it a dreamlike quality. There’s something haunting in the figures' expressions, a mix of desperation and resignation. Curator: It depicts a pivotal scene from Exodus. Pharaoh's daughter discovers Moses in the reeds, defying the decree to kill all Hebrew male infants. Think about the weight of disobedience and resistance. Editor: The composition is fascinating, too. It shows the story in a single, compressed moment. The grid shows it was carefully planned and meticulously laid out, almost as if to emphasize the constraints placed on these women’s bodies and lives. Curator: Indeed. The drawing gives us insight into the visual language of religious narratives and their role in shaping societal values. Editor: Absolutely. It also asks us to consider the different forms resistance can take, from quiet defiance to acts of outright rebellion.