Moses Striking the Rock

Abraham Bloemaert completed this biblical scene in 1596, depicting Moses drawing water from a rock for the Israelites during their flight from Egypt. The painting measures 79.7 by 108 centimeters and is signed and dated at the lower right.

Though the subject is Moses, Bloemaert gives him relatively little prominence. In the middle ground at left, nearly hidden in shadow, Moses performs the miracle while more prominent figures dominate the foreground. A monumental bare-breasted woman carrying a water pitcher draws the eye, revealing the Dutch artist's priority: depicting idealized bodies inspired by contemporary Italian art.

The extended, contorted, preternaturally muscled figures are hallmarks of Mannerism, the late Renaissance style Bloemaert championed. The Metropolitan Museum of Art acquired the work in 1972. Its provenance may include Jan Vincent Coster of Amsterdam in 1622.