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| Title | Moses Striking the Rock | |
| Collection | Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead | |
| Artist | Attributed to studio of Balen, Hendrik van, I (Flemish painter, 1575-1632) Previously attributed to after Francken, Frans, II (Flemish painter, 1581-1642) Previously attributed to Bril, Paul (Flemish landscapist and fresco painter, 1554-1626, active in Rome) |
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| Date Earliest | possibly about 1600 | |
| Date Latest | possibly about 1632 | |
| Description | The Flemish painter Hendrik van Balen specialised in religious and mythological subject matter. This painting is taken from a scene described in Exodus 17. Moses is leading the Israelites out of Egypt into the Promised Land. However, the Israelites were complaining because they were thirsty. To reinforce Moses' leadership, and to quench their thirst, God ordered Moses to tap a nearby rock, from which he promised water would spring. In his frustration, Moses struck the rock, and water appeared and enabled the Israelites to drink. | |
| Current Accession Number | TWCMS:F9427 | |
| Former Accession Number | SAG 621 | |
| Subject | religion (Moses); figure; landscape | |
| Measurements | 76.3 x 106.5 cm cm (estimate) | |
| Material | oil on panel (hardwood) | |
| Acquisition Details | Given by Mr M. Jacobson, 1934. | |
| Provenance | Lennox sale, Vienna, 1931, purchased by Mr M. Jacobson; bequeathed to the Shipley, May, 1934. | |
| Principal Exhibitions | Dutch and Flemish 16th and 17th Century Paintings from the Shipley Collection, Alan Jacobs Gallery, London, (touring), 1979, cat. no. 1. | |
| Publications | Catalogue of the Shipley Collection, 1951, no. 621, as Frans Francken the Younger; Wright C., Dutch and Flemish 16th and 17th Century Paintings from the Shipley Collection, Alan Jacobs Gallery, London, 1979, cat. no. 1; Brown, C., 'Dutch and Flemish 16th and 17th Century Paintings from the Shipley Collection', Burlington Magazine, June 1979, vol. 121, p. 398. | |
| Notes | Mr Jacobson's address was The Grove, Gosforth, Newcastle upon Tyne. In the 1951 Shipley catalogue, the work was attributed to after Frans Francken II, and in 1979 the Shipley Catalogue attributes the work to Paul Bril. However, in 1961 Dr S.J. Gudlaugsson stated that the picture was a replica or copy after Balen. Phyllis Borland of the Witt Library said the nude seated woman was particularly typical of van Balen, though agreed the handling was a little coarse. Christopher Brown believed it was too coarse for Balen. However, a similar version of the work, by Balen, on copper, was in the collection of Baronesse A. Stummer von Tavarnok, in Vienna, cat. Frimmel 1895, no. 11. This was sold in Vienna by Wawra, 20 April 1931. Van Balen appears to have kept a large studio, and his figure styles seem to have been quite variable - he specialised in adding figures to the canvasses of others, for example Jan Brueghel, Joos de Momper, and Denis van Ansloot. This work is now believed to have probably been executed by his studio. |
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| Rights Owner | The Shipley Art Gallery, Gateshead (Tyne and Wear Museums) | |
| Author | Elizabeth van der Beugel | |