The artwork titled “Moses is saved from the water by Pharaoh’s daughter” was created by Marc Chagall in 1931 in Paris, France. This piece is rendered in gouache and oil on paper, measuring 63 by 49 centimeters. It belongs to the Naïve Art (Primitivism) movement and depicts a religious scene.
The artwork portrays the biblical story of Moses being saved from the Nile River by Pharaoh’s daughter. The composition features a serene riverside setting, with the infant Moses swaddled in a basket to the left. Pharaoh’s daughter, dressed in a dark gown, is shown kneeling on the grass beside the river, her hands extended towards the basket, indicating the act of rescue. Another figure stands slightly away, observing the scene. The use of soft, muted colors and broad, expressive brushstrokes imbues the painting with a sense of gentle solemnity and poignant emotion, characteristic of Chagall’s distinctive style. The overall composition and the delicate rendering of the characters reflect the thematic and stylistic elements of Naïve Art, capturing both the innocence and the profound significance of the moment.
