Brazen Serpent, This painting is an arched panel that may have once been in a church's interior. This chaotic scene shows a narrative from the Book of Numbers chapter 21. After the Israelites become impatient and complain against the Lord, the Lord sends venomous snakes that kill people when they are bitten. The people repent and ask Moses to ask the Lord for relief. The Lord commands Moses to make a bronze snake, and to hold it up so that people can be healed when gaze at it. In this rendering of the scene, many people have been or are being bitten by snakes. They writhe on the ground in pain and suffering. In the central background, the relief of the bronze snake on a pole, here a cross-shaped pole, stands high above so they all can see and find relief. The composition's style, with the vibrant gestures and movement of the people, along with the bright style, and the flanking compositions all leading the eye toward the cross, show a Baroque influence or precursor to the movement. This is a basic record created to enable public access to scanned images. Full research on this image is pending., 1540-1546

Item — Box: 113

Identifier: spc-mss0088-s02-ss02-i5803

Brazen Serpent, This painting is an arched panel that may have once been in a church's interior. This chaotic scene shows a narrative from the Book of Numbers chapter 21. After the Israelites become impatient and complain against the Lord, the Lord sends venomous snakes that kill people when they are bitten. The people repent and ask Moses to ask the Lord for relief. The Lord commands Moses to make a bronze snake, and to hold it up so that people can be healed when gaze at it. In this rendering of the scene, many people have been or are being bitten by snakes. They writhe on the ground in pain and suffering. In the central background, the relief of the bronze snake on a pole, here a cross-shaped pole, stands high above so they all can see and find relief. The composition's style, with the vibrant gestures and movement of the people, along with the bright style, and the flanking compositions all leading the eye toward the cross, show a Baroque influence or precursor to the movement. This is a basic record created to enable public access to scanned images. Full research on this image is pending.

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Scope and Contents

Vanderbilt photo identifier: SC.MSS.088.FLOR.10724; Public Notes: The caption correctly attributes the artist, title, and the repository. The work is in the Chapel of Eleanor of Toldeo in the Palazzo Vecchio.

Dates

Creation: 1540-1546

Creator

Agnolo Bronzino (Person)

Conditions Governing Access

This collection may be viewed only in the reading room of Special Collections in the Jean and Alexander Heard Library. Collections should be requested 2-3 days prior to visiting in order to facilitate easier access. For questions or to request a collection, contact specialcollections@vanderbilt.edu.

Biographical / Historical

Subjects: arched panels; Isrealites; scenes from the life of Moses; Red Sea; Book of Numbers; Moses; bronze; serpents; School: Florence; Technique: fresco painting (technique); Work type: paintings

Full Extent

1 Items : Image Work Type: photographic print ; Image height (in.): 7.9; Image width (in.): 10in.

Language of Materials

From the Collection: English

Additional Description

Physical Description

Material notes: "fresco and paint on panel" (ARTStor); Medium: tempera; Physical condition: curling; Print type: black and white; Support: panels (wood)