Moses is a figure that has been depicted for thousands of years, both in traditional literature, like the Bible, and in popular culture like the 1956 film “The Ten Commandments.” One form of expression that Moses has also been expressed through in a multitude of ways is art. He appears in a myriad of religious paintings and sculptures, the most famous arguably, Michelangelo’s Moses. These artworks capture different sides of the mythical man than literature, and vice versa. Together, they help us form a more complete picture of who Moses was and what he represents.
Through the book of Exodus, we are introduced to the character of Moses. It explains his childhood, how he grew up in Egypt as a child of pharaoh and how he ultimately founded the …show more content…
Changes can also be seen in how he is shown through literature in the Bible and through art, as the medium of the depiction can morph how he is viewed. In the Bible, Moses is granted brief descriptions, but most is inferred through the narrator by the reader. The statues help us capture a frozen moment in time and really delve into what he was thinking and feeling in that instant. In the moment of recognition of the golden calf, we can plainly see the confusion and curiosity in Moses’ face through Michelangelo’s sculpture and the forceful mandate in Jacometti’s version when the Ten Commandments are revealed. The material used in the different media also can change how others view him. In literature Moses is composed merely of words and the paper is flimsy and ephemeral. However, through sculpture the artist gives body to the words and makes a much more lasting portrayal. The marble of Michelangelo’s statue and stone of Jacometti’s also compliments the isolation of Moses explained in the Bible. The stone makes him seem impassive and unmoving, although he is lifelike, a man firm in his faith. It also mimics the stone of Mount Sinai where Moses spent so much time conferring with God and building a relationship with him. Although the material can reinforce the idea of him being an outsider, the fact that he is being depicted by famous artists bring him to the forefront of our minds and increases his importance, not just as a founder of the faith, but also as real person. In the Bible, Moses is powerful because of his connection to God, but now he is powerful in his own right, his actions and expressions speaking for himself, instead of through Aaron as he had in the
Through the book of Exodus, we are introduced to the character of Moses. It explains his childhood, how he grew up in Egypt as a child of pharaoh and how he ultimately founded the …show more content…
Changes can also be seen in how he is shown through literature in the Bible and through art, as the medium of the depiction can morph how he is viewed. In the Bible, Moses is granted brief descriptions, but most is inferred through the narrator by the reader. The statues help us capture a frozen moment in time and really delve into what he was thinking and feeling in that instant. In the moment of recognition of the golden calf, we can plainly see the confusion and curiosity in Moses’ face through Michelangelo’s sculpture and the forceful mandate in Jacometti’s version when the Ten Commandments are revealed. The material used in the different media also can change how others view him. In literature Moses is composed merely of words and the paper is flimsy and ephemeral. However, through sculpture the artist gives body to the words and makes a much more lasting portrayal. The marble of Michelangelo’s statue and stone of Jacometti’s also compliments the isolation of Moses explained in the Bible. The stone makes him seem impassive and unmoving, although he is lifelike, a man firm in his faith. It also mimics the stone of Mount Sinai where Moses spent so much time conferring with God and building a relationship with him. Although the material can reinforce the idea of him being an outsider, the fact that he is being depicted by famous artists bring him to the forefront of our minds and increases his importance, not just as a founder of the faith, but also as real person. In the Bible, Moses is powerful because of his connection to God, but now he is powerful in his own right, his actions and expressions speaking for himself, instead of through Aaron as he had in the