19th Century French enamel plaque depicting 'The Finding of Moses'

19th Century French enamel plaque depicting 'The Finding of Moses'
French, 1875
Height 71.5cm, width 91cm, depth 6cm

This fine enamel plaque is notable both for its large size and the exquisite contrast produced between the rich, blue enamel backdrop against the grey foreground, created using the grisaille technique, which involves painting only in shades of grey.

The plaque finely depicts the Finding of Moses, otherwise known as Moses in the Bulrushes, a Biblical story taken from the Book of Exodus. The subject has been treated by some of the most famous artists in Western history, with a particularly notable example on the subject being painted by the Anglo-Dutch artist Lawrence Alma-Tadema in 1904. The story is set during the period in which the Israelites were under captivity in Egypt, and the Pharaoh ordered that all Hebrew boys born should be drowned in the river Nile. After Moses was born, his mother hid him in a basket amongst reeds at the bank of the river, where he was later discovered by the daughter of the Pharaoh. This plaque depicts the moment that the Pharaoh's daughter and her entourage discover the baby, and they can be seen gesturing and pointing as they gather around him in his basket.

The plaque, which bears a signature reading 'A Paris Emailleur Rue de Paradis Poissoniere 47. Paris' and is dated '1875' to the lower right corner, is housed in a simple ebonised wood frame.