Moses and the Golden Calf

Late in his career, Beccafumi executed an important series of paintings for the venerable Cathedral of Pisa. Moses and the Golden Calf is disturbing in its originality because the figures have become increasingly thin, diaphanous, and dependent upon silhouette and outline to achieve convincing form. Scale is unconventional and has little significance by normal usage. Moses, holding the tablets, stands in a contorted pose and looks disapprovingly at the miniaturized golden calf nearby. The sharply foreshortened nude youth in the left foreground is difficult to interpret.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 5 minutes):

Gioacchino Rossini: Moses, Moses’ Prayer