Artwork

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, with the Rods Turned into Serpents

Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, with the Rods Turned into Serpents is an ink drawing by the Romanticist artist Luigi Ademollo. It dates from 1806 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:by later hand, lower right verso in graphite: D

About this work

Overview

Created in 1806, 'Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, with the Rods Turned into Serpents' is a pen and ink drawing by the Italian artist Luigi Ademollo.

Created in 1806, 'Moses and Aaron before Pharaoh, with the Rods Turned into Serpents' is a pen and ink drawing by the Italian artist Luigi Ademollo. Executed in black ink with black wash and white gouache on wove paper, the work illustrates the biblical narrative from Exodus where the rods of Moses and Aaron transform into serpents to challenge Pharaoh's authority. The composition centers on a dramatic confrontation within a dimly lit, atmospheric setting defined by rough trees and a shadowed sky.

Ademollo arranges the figures in flowing robes to emphasize the tension of the moment; while Moses and Aaron stand firm, the Egyptian court reacts with shock, including a figure collapsed on the ground. The artist employs white gouache highlights to accentuate the twisting forms of the snakes and the folds of the drapery, creating a stark contrast against the dark wash. This piece reflects Ademollo's engagement with historical and religious subjects during the early 19th century, showcasing his skill in combining linear precision with tonal modeling to convey narrative drama.

It stands as a representative example of his work in the medium of drawing, bridging late 18th-century Italian traditions with the emerging sensibilities of the 19th century.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts the biblical episode in which Moses and Aaron confront the Egyptian ruler, displaying their staffs transformed into serpents. The serpents lie coiled on the ground, drawing the attention of the onlookers and symbolizing divine power and the threat of punishment that the narrative traditionally conveys.

Technique & Style

Ademollo combines precise ink drawing with a wash of diluted black pigment to model forms and create atmospheric depth. Highlights of white gouache accentuate the figures and the serpents, allowing them to emerge sharply from the darker background. The linear clarity and restrained palette reflect the academic drawing practices of early‑19th‑century Italy.

History & Provenance

Created in 1806, the drawing belongs to Ademollo’s early output, a period when he produced numerous religious and historical studies for academic purposes. The work has remained in private collections and has been documented in catalogues of his drawings, though its exact ownership trail is not extensively recorded.

Context

The subject derives from the Exodus narrative, a popular theme in European art that allowed artists to explore dramatic confrontation and miraculous signs. Ademollo’s choice of a monochrome drawing aligns with the pedagogical use of studies for larger fresco or oil projects, common in the Neoclassical workshop environment.