TINTORETTO
(b. 1518, Venezia, d. 1594, Venezia)

The Pillar of Fire

1577-78
Oil on canvas, 370 x 275 cm
Scuola Grande di San Rocco, Venice

In the scene where Moses leads the Jewish people into the desert guided by a pillar of fire, most of the space is taken up by the figure of Moses, seen from behind, powerfully and toweringly positioned and rhythmically struck by shadow and by the bright light against the orange-red and grey of the sky in the background and the white of the crowd watching the miraculous apparition at the bottom.