Nicolas Poussin, 'The Finding of Moses', 1651
On loan: Rotation of Jointly Owned Work 2022 - 2027 (NG6519 Poussin), Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales, Cardiff, UK About the work
Overview
According to the Old Testament Book of Exodus, Pharaoh ordered all Israelite baby boys to be cast into the river, but Moses’s mother hid him in a basket among the bulrushes. He was discovered there by Pharaoh’s daughter, Thermutis, who is shown here dressed in a yellow robe and surrounded by her maidens. Moses is cradled by his sister, Miriam, dressed in white.
Thermutis decides to spare Moses from death and eventually adopts him. The joy of this event is reflected in Thermutis’s welcoming smile and the excited gestures of her companions. Their idealised bodies and extravagant drapery reveal Poussin’s interest in ancient sculpture. The palm trees and statue of a sphinx, a mythical creature with a human head and lion’s body, tell us the scene is taking place in Egypt. Colourful clothing shimmers in the sunlight, conveying the warmth of the Egyptian climate.
Key facts
Details
- Full title
- The Finding of Moses
- Artist
- Nicolas Poussin
- Artist dates
- 1594 - 1665
- Date made
- 1651
- Medium and support
- oil on canvas
- Dimensions
- 115.7 × 175.3 cm
- Acquisition credit
- Bought jointly by the National Gallery and Amgueddfa Cymru - National Museum Wales with contributions from: J. Paul Getty Jnr (through the American Friends of the National Gallery, London), the National Heritage Memorial Fund, the Art Fund, Mrs Schreiber, the Esmée Fairbairn Foundation, the Moorgate Trusts, Sir Denis Mahon and anonymous donors, 1988
- Inventory number
- NG6519
- Location
- On loan: Rotation of Jointly Owned Work 2022 - 2027 (NG6519 Poussin), Amgueddfa Cymru — National Museum Wales, Cardiff, UK
- Collection
- Main Collection
- Previous owners
- Frame
- 17th-century French Frame
About this record
If you know more about this painting or have spotted an error, please contact us. Please note that exhibition histories are listed from 2009 onwards. Bibliographies may not be complete; more comprehensive information is available in the National Gallery Library.
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