Stories Of ArtIhe Atụ

The painting "Moses and the Burning Bush" (1966) by Marc Chagall shows the viewer three life stages of Moses. Like Jewish texts which are read from right to left this painting shows the first stage on the right and the last on the left. You can see Moses who is tending the flock of his father in law Jethro. Moses is shown in white, his right hand on his heart and he kneels before the Burning Bush. Additionally rays of light descending from heaven reflect off his head.

The Burning Bush is in the center of the painting. God is represented by an angel, who speaks from the Burning Bush and appoints Moses to bring his people out of Egyptian captivity. The angel is surrounded by a rainbow, which reminds the viewer of God's covenant with Noah and humanity.

The third part of the painting shows Moses receiving the two tablets of covenant. His face is painted in a yellow color, which shows the change he went through when he had this intense encounter with God (Exodus 34:29-35). His body is made of the people of Israel, who follow him and are protected by him, because at the bottom of his coat you can see the Egyptian Army coming through the sea.

Moses is the main figure of this painting. But it is God who appoints and protects him and changes his life. That's why God is portrayed in the center of the painting by an angel and the Burning Bush – without portraying God directly.