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The pretty daughters of Jethro (one of them Moses future wife Zipporah)

Sandro Botticelli (1445-1510)

Trials of Moses or Episodes from his life [~1482]

Vatican, Sistine chapel

Frescoes on the south wall

 

Description

The fresco shows several episodes of Moses' youth, taken from Exodus. It parallels the fresco on the opposite wall, also by Botticelli, which depicts the Temptations of Jesus. The frieze has the inscription TEMPTATIO MOISI LEGIS SCRIPTAE LATORIS.

 

On the right is Moses killing the Egyptian who had harassed a Hebrew, and fleeing to the desert (a parallel with the episode of Jesus defeating the Devil). In the next episode Moses fights the shepherds who were preventing Jethro's daughters (including his future wife, Zipporah) to water their cattle at the pit, and then takes the water for them. In the third scene, in the upper left corner, Moses removes his shoes and then receives from God the task to return to Egypt and free his people. Finally, in the lower left corner, he drives the Jews to the Promised Land.

 

Moses is always distinguishable in the scenes by his yellow dress and the green cloak.

 

Source:

en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Youth_of_Moses

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Uploaded on March 18, 2023
Taken on October 1, 2011