Moses and the Brazen Serpent

About this work

This drawing is packed with twisting, muscular bodies tangled in motion. A crowd of people—some standing, some kneeling—reach upward, their arms outstretched toward a giant snake coiled on a pole. The figures look desperate, their faces turned toward the snake as if waiting for help. The lines are scratchy and uneven, with patches of white gouache adding texture to the shadows. The snake on the pole is the only calm thing in the scene. It’s the focus everyone’s staring at, like a symbol or a cure. The artist used quick, rough strokes to show movement and emotion, almost like a sketch that wasn’t smoothed out. Next, check out gouache to see how this mix of paint and water creates such bold, matte effects.