‘Moses Slaying the Egyptian’, by E.J. Poynter

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Moses Slaying the Egyptian

Edward Poynter

Wood engraving by the Dalziels.

7 x 6 inches

Dalziels’ Bible Gallery, plate 25

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Scanned image and text by Simon Cooke.

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Exodus ii: 12. A visceral image of epic violence, framed by evidence of the Israelites’ servitude. The Egyptian’s whip, used to beat the slaves, is in the bottom left, while labouring Jews can be glimpsed in a tiny detail in the top right. The modelling of the figures typifies Poynter’s neo-classical treatment of the human form, and bears comparison with paintings such as The Catapult (1868 –72, Laing Art Gallery, Newcastle-upon-Tyne; image). As usual, Poynter emphasises the antiquarian detail, validating the scene by placing it within an historical period.

Bibliography

Dalziels’ Bible Gallery. London: George Routledge, 1881 [1880].

Created 27 July 2015