Moses in the Bullrushes

Henry Ossawa Tanner, Moses in the Bullrushes, 1921, oil on wood panel, Smithsonian American Art Museum, Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Norman Robbins, 1983.95.197
Copied 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
Free to use

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
  • Religion — Old Testament — Moses
  • Landscape — river — Nile River
Object Number
1983.95.197
Linked Open Data
https://edan.si.edu/saam/id/object/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.