Henry Ossawa Tanner, Moses in the Bullrushes, 1921, oil on wood panel, 22 3⁄8 x 15 1⁄8 in. (56.8 x 38.5 cm), Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Robbins, 1983.95.197
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Artwork Details
- Title
- Moses in the Bullrushes
- Artist
- Date
- 1921
- Location
- Dimensions
- 22 3⁄8 x 15 1⁄8 in. (56.8 x 38.5 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Robbins
- Mediums
- Mediums Description
- oil on wood panel
- Classifications
- Subjects
- Landscape — river — Nile River
- Religion — Old Testament — Moses
- Object Number
- 1983.95.197
Artwork Description
Henry Ossawa Tanner took most of his themes from the New Testament, but also made several paintings of the story of Moses. The mother of Moses had set her infant son adrift in the Nile in a basket of reeds so that Pharaoh’s soldiers would not slay the Hebrew child. Pharaoh’s daughter found the baby, who was raised in the palace until Moses rejected his royal position and led his people to freedom. The muted blues capture the nighttime scene, where the moonlight reflecting on the water may signify God’s presence.
