Moses Defending the Daughters of Jethro

Danielle Fleming
Fiorentino, Moses Defending the Daughters of Jethro, 1523

On just another day in the city of Jethro,
the daughters of which went to water their sheep.
Innocently attending to their chores without weep.

 On that same day in the city of Jethro,
Some selfish Shepards chose to water their flock
Pushing away from the well the daughters with their squawk.

 Enter Moses, king of chivalry, 
Who kicked the shepards' butts.

It's the small victories. Exaggerating such a small occurrence as Moses Defending the Daughters of Jethro, Fiorentino highlights the small peaks of humanity within everyday life. After all, in tribute to African History Through Fiction and Film, "the world is never saved in grand messianic gestures, but in the simple accumulation of gentle, soft, almost invisible acts of compassion." Although this painting does not necessarily portray a peaceful approach at humanity, Moses's compassion shines through as an Old Testament vigilante. Despite his approach, his goal was all for the good of justice.

I think Fiorentino's interpretation, depicting a menial well dispute as an intense battle, shows the importance of the small things. It's standing up for little moments that improves humanity. Not only does he cause reflection of morality, but Fiorentino also embarks on certain signature style. Fiorentino's exaggeration of lights and darks defines each muscle revealing the stylistic, eerily hyper-realistic strength of each man. The exaggeration of the story mirrors Fiorentino's painting technique.

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Moses Defending the Daughters of Jethro

Katie Sloan
Rosso Fiorentino, Moses Defending the Daughters of Jethro, 1523-1524

"Now the priest of a Midian had seven daughters: and they came and drew water, and filled the troughs to water their father's flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock. And the shepherds came and drove them away: but Moses stood up and helped them, and watered their flock/ And when they came to Reuel their father, he said, How is it that ye are come so soon to day? And they said, An Egyptian delivered us out of the hand of the shepherds, and also drew water enough for us, and watered the flock. And he said unto his daughters, And where is he? Why is it that ye have left the man? Call him, that he may eat bread. And Moses was content to dwell with the man: and he gave Moses a Zipporah his daughter. And she bare him a son, and he called his name Gershom: for he said, I have been a stranger in a strange land." (Exodus 2:16-22)

Fiorentino's painting depicts this scene from Exodus 2:16-22. The scene represented is violent and wild. The shepherds that Moses beats are painted in the nude so that they look like muscled titans. The nudes in the painting all form a circle around Moses, who is the center of attention of this chaotic battle of men. Fiorentino uses highlights and shadows well to show the muscles and strength of all the men in the battle. The agony in their faces can be seen especially with the man on the right, who looks to be shouting and not really doing much else. The girl the viewer sees in the top right is Zipporah, whom Moses would get as a trophy prize for defending them. She is the only figure in the front scene who is clothed in a light blue, which makes her pristine and fragile. But, oops, her dressed slipped a little and we have a wardrobe malfunction. 

Fiorentino used a different technique in his painting. Taking in the new style of mannerism, Florentino had brought mannerism to Fontainebleau in 1530. There he became a founder of French 16th century mannerism, which was called the School of Fontainebleau. Rosso Fiorentino's actual name was Giovanni Battista de Jacopo di Guasparre. But because of his red hair he was nicknamed Rosso which meant "the red one." This painting is an example of Florentino's use of mannerism. The lines and contours of the muscles are stricter lines instead of the Northern Renaissance style of natural looking beauty. 

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