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Home , Finding of Moses, Golden calf, Jochebed, Orazio Gentileschi

TEACHERS’ NOTES 2020–21

Take One Picture is generously supported by Columbia Threadneedle Foundation TEACHERS’ NOTES 2020–21

The story When the baby grew older, ’s daughter adopted him and gave him The baby in this story is , an the name ‘Moshe’, or ‘Moses’ in English. important figure in many different Some people believe his name is based Orazio Gentileschi, religions. His story can be found in on a Hebrew word meaning ‘to draw The , the , the Qur’an, the , and in out’ (because he was drawn out of the early 1630s the teachings of several other religions, river), or an Egyptian word meaning including the Baha’i faith. Details of ‘son of’. Moses would go on to free the the story vary but Orazio would have from slavery and lead them out known the Bible version best. of on a 40-year journey to their Promised Land. Moses was born in Egypt thousands of years ago. His people, the Israelites, Journeys had been enslaved by the rulers of Egypt. The Pharaoh, worried that the The story of Moses is full of journeys. growing number of Israelites might His journey from enslaved man to great overthrow him, ordered that all new- leader is mirrored by the long journey he born Israelite boys should be drowned made out of Egypt. in the river . Orazio Gentileschi also travelled. He , an Israelite, had just given was born Orazio Lomi, in the Italian city On a hot day by the river Nile, birth to a baby boy, Moses. At first, of . He later moved to Rome and something extraordinary has she kept him hidden inside, but she lived with his uncle, deciding to take his happened: a baby boy has been worried that his crying would reveal his surname, Gentileschi. Orazio became hiding place. In desperation she took a successful artist. He travelled to found, hidden in a basket at him to the river Nile and placed him to paint for Marie de’ Medici, mother the water’s edge. A group of in a basket which she hid among the of the King of France. He also travelled women excitedly crowd around bulrushes. She left her daughter to London to paint for her daughter, him, cooing, smiling, and to watch over him from a distance. , the Queen of England wondering. Some point towards Maybe she hoped that someone kind and wife of King Charles I. the river in the distance. An would find him and take him in. In elegant figure dressed in yellow some versions of the story, she puts his The Finding of Moses was made for basket in the water and hopes that the Henrietta Maria. She admired Orazio’s takes charge. She turns towards flow of the Nile will carry him to safety. art and this is one of the many paintings two women who have come to by him that she commissioned. But this offer help – two women with When Pharaoh’s daughter came to picture would not stay in Henrietta Maria’s a secret. the river to bathe with her attendants, possession for long – it would go on a she discovered the baby among the journey of its own. Charles I was executed In this huge painting, we are reeds. She realised that he was one at the end of the English Civil War and shown a new telling of an old of the condemned Israelite boys but Henrietta Maria fled to France, leaving the she decided to look after him. Having painting behind where it was sold. story – a celebration of hope, seen this, Miriam stepped forward kindness, and the beginning and cleverly asked if she could find a Years later, when Henrietta Maria was of a great journey, all told woman to nurse the baby. Pharaoh’s visiting England, she found it and had it through the actions of women. daughter agreed, but little did she shipped back to France. It stayed there Gentileschi updated the story know that the woman Miriam ran for over a hundred years until the French for a 17th-century audience to back to fetch was her (and Moses’) Revolution, when many royal collections celebrate the start of a new life. own mother. So, without realising it, were broken up and sold. By the end Pharaoh’s daughter would pay Moses’ of the 18th century, the painting was mother to look after her own son. back in England and in 2019 the public helped the raise the All images in this document are details of Orazio Gentileschi, The Finding of Moses, early 1630s money to buy the painting for the nation. Family undressed and so she was probably mirror each other and neatly frame the bathing when she found him. baby. This helps to make the image look In this painting Moses is surrounded by balanced and beautiful. Orazio was also both his biological and adoptive families. The other central figure is wearing particularly talented at painting realistic- It shows a crucial point in the story, a golden yellow dress and glittering looking fabrics and textures. Look at on which the future of Moses and the jewellery that show her importance. the light, loose folds of Moses’ mother’s Israelites hinges. It is no coincidence that Yellow is also a royal colour, so this sleeve, and the iridescent silk draped Henrietta Maria chose this scene. The must be Pharaoh’s daughter. She is over the arm of the attendant pointing work was almost certainly commissioned also one of the tallest figures and on the far right, shining both purple and to celebrate the birth of her son, the some of the women look up at her. blue. The whole scene has been made to future King Charles II. Just as Moses grew On the left, a young woman in green look as luxurious as possible. up to be a powerful leader, there were kneels, offering her service to Pharaoh’s high hopes for the future king of England. daughter. The woman above her in red In its own time and place gently touches her back, suggesting Orazio was head of a family of artists that she knows her. They are Miriam Even though they appear lifelike, the and had brought his three sons to and Jochebed, Moses’ sister and mother. women in this painting are not very England with him in 1626. His daughter Jochebed is higher up, showing she is individual. They all have similar facial Artemisia was the most talented of more important, and she has let her features and plain expressions. Orazio his children and she was enjoying a dress slip off her shoulder, as if she is is interested in creating an elegant successful career of her own. She joined ready to breastfeed the baby. Her eyes scene, not necessarily one that explores her father in England in 1638 but we meet those of Pharaoh’s daughter – will the figures’ personalities. Despite this, know few details about her visit. Orazio her secret be uncovered? the painting celebrates female agency. painted many works for Henrietta Maria Each person – apart from the baby – is while in London. As well as The Finding a woman, and Moses’ fate is in their of Moses, he also painted and hands. It is Jochebed who decides to ’s Wife, and an enormous hide him, Pharaoh’s daughter who ceiling painting, Allegory of Peace and decides to spare him, and Miriam the Arts, which were all displayed in who suggests her mother become the Great Hall at the Queen’s House in his wet nurse. The painting was also . Father and daughter both commissioned by the most powerful worked in London until Orazio died a woman in England, Henrietta Maria. year later. He was buried in the Queen’s Chapel in . Orazio has carefully studied how people Aspects of Moses’ story have been stand, kneel, point and look to compose changed to suit its new setting. While it Telling stories with style this scene – and we know that he tells a tale from Egypt, thousands of years often used live models – but he is most ago, the women here are all European How can you tell a story in one painting? interested in creating something elegant and dressed in 17th-century fashions. You only have one canvas to give your and refined. This style was popular in Patrons of this era were not interested audience a sense of the characters, royal households and can be seen in the in paintings that accurately represented themes, location, and action. Orazio artwork of other painters working at the people and places from history, but carefully puts the scene together in a English court, such as Rubens and Van instead wanted them to reflect their own way which is not only beautiful but Dyck. It was popular with royalty abroad world. This is also true of the scenery also helps us to understand what is too, and Orazio painted a second – the landscape looks more English happening. The figures are almost life- version of The Finding of Moses, which than Egyptian. The later version sent to size; making us feel as if we could step was sent to King Philip IV of Spain, Madrid was adapted again, featuring a into their world. The painting is also full whose wife was Henrietta Maria’s sister. background bathed in a warmer Spanish of gestures and poses to direct our gaze. light and without anyone pointing into The baby must be important because he Look again at the women in the the distance. In its original position in is in the middle, but some of the women painting. Their gestures do not just help the Queen’s House, the women on the are also looking and pointing at him to to tell the story, but their long bodies right in our painting would have pointed show that he is the centre of attention. and outstretched arms are elegant out of a nearby window, not to the Nile, The woman holding him is partly and graceful too. Their poses often but to the River Thames. Links Key dates

The Foundling Museum tells the history 1563: Orazio Lomi born in Pisa 1626: The Duke of Buckingham invites Orazio to England of the Foundling Hospital, a charity 1576–8: Orazio moves to Rome and which cared for foundling and orphaned takes his uncle’s surname, Gentileschi Early 1630s: Orazio works for Henrietta children – foundlingmuseum.org.uk Maria and paints The Finding of Moses 1624: Marie de’ Medici of France invites Orazio to Paris 1639: Orazio dies in London aged 76 Queen’s House, Greenwich is where Orazio’s work for Henrietta Maria originally hung rmg.co.uk/queens-house

The Prado, Madrid has the other version of Orazio’s The Finding of Moses – museodelprado.es/en Discussion points many different places? Do you feel connected to a specific place, object, The Victoria & Albert Museum has Leadership and power or belief? What sort of groups can you objects, fabrics, and clothes from the Do you know any leaders? What be connected to? What connects the same time as the painting – vam.ac.uk/ sort of things do leaders do? How people in these groups? Is it different to collections/ can you spot a leader, or a person in what connects a family? Is there a limit charge? What sort of things do good to how many people can be part of one The holds Orazio’s other leaders do? Are leaders always the family? Do you have to be related to paintings he made for Henrietta Maria oldest, strongest, smartest or richest someone to be part of their family? – rct.uk people? Do you need to be strong to be powerful? Does there always have Storytelling The National Army Museum has information to be a leader? Why? What might What is your favourite story? What on the Civil War and Charles I’s fate – nam. happen if there isn’t a leader? Should makes a story fun for you? Is it the ac.uk/explore/british-civil-wars leaders be chosen by others or born characters, the plot, the location, or into leadership? Are most leaders men something else? Are stories always true or women? Is that the same in all jobs or fictional? Can they be both? Are Related paintings and countries? they always written down? What other ways are there to tell stories? Can you Biblical stories Journeys tell a story without speaking? Can you – The Supper at Emmaus Can you think of a journey you have tell a story without moving? How can Poussin – The Finding of Moses been on? Which journeys were long, dressing up help you tell a story? What Poussin – The Adoration of the and which were short? Which journeys is different about stories from the past do you do often, and which ones have compared with stories from today? Do you only done once? What are the best people in stories need to be like us for Connections and worst parts of a journey for you? us to enjoy them or understand them? – Self Portrait What journeys do you know of from as Saint Catherine of Alexandria stories? Where might journeys begin, Composition Rubens – War and Peace and where might they end? Does a What are your favourite shapes and Van Dyck – Charles I journey always involve travel, or can it colours in the painting? Which ones do be about a different kind of change? you notice first? Who stands out the Motherhood Does every journey have a beginning most and why? What sort of lines can – Portrait of the Comtesse and an end? you find in the painting? Which are Vilain XIIII and her Daughter vertical, horizontal, and diagonal? What Lagrenée – Maternal Affection Connections sort of things in the painting form these Mignard – The Marquise de Seigneley What connects you to others in your lines? Are there any lines of symmetry? and Two of her Sons class? Do you live on the same street Where is the painting most crowded, or like the same things? What do you and where does it have space? How Journeys have in common with each other, is the artist helping us to understand Claude – Seaport with the Embarkation and which things are different? How what is happening? What might of the Queen of many people are in your family? Does happen if you change the position of Pintoricchio – Penelope and the Suitors all your family live in one place or some of the people in the painting? Turner – Calais Pier

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