Valance with The Story of Moses 1595 - 1605

Editor: This is “Valance with The Story of Moses,” made between 1595 and 1605. It's attributed to Bernard Salomon and seems to be a print designed for a textile. It feels very narrative, almost like a comic strip telling a story. How do you interpret this work, seeing as it's meant to adorn a valance? Curator: I see it as a powerful compression of cultural memory. Notice how the scenes from the life of Moses aren’t neatly separated. Instead, they blend, one into another. This reflects how stories were often understood in the Renaissance, not as isolated events, but as part of a continuous thread of meaning. What stands out to you about that visual overlap? Editor: It feels very dreamlike, the way events bleed into one another, and there are some very graphic scenes portrayed. Is there any significance to this continuous portrayal that isn’t just about visual storytelling? Curator: The seamlessness emphasizes the ongoing relevance of the story. Moses wasn't just a figure of the past. His story, his laws, his struggles – they were all very present for the Renaissance viewer. A valance hangs in a domestic space, right? What impact would having these visual reminders there everyday have? Editor: It would definitely make it hard to forget. Seeing these stories depicted so vividly around the home, it's as if they become a part of your daily consciousness, almost like a family history you keep revisiting. Curator: Precisely! This valance doesn’t just decorate; it instructs, it reminds, it integrates biblical history into the everyday experience, and in effect ensures the survival of cultural values and symbols over generations. Editor: I never considered the visual impact of repeated symbols quite like that. It makes me appreciate how much these images can actively shape our understanding.