Moses receiving the tablets of the law on Mount Sinai, after Raphael's Stanza di Eliodoro, from a series of 15 plates, depicting Raphael's works for the Vatican stanze and the Sistine Chapel tapestries 1650 - 1670

Editor: We're looking at "Moses receiving the tablets of the law on Mount Sinai," a print by Pietro Santi Bartoli from the mid-17th century. It’s based on Raphael’s work, and done using engraving and other intaglio techniques. It looks rather dramatic, almost theatrical, with strong contrasts between light and shadow. What's striking to you about this piece? Curator: Notice how the composition is carefully divided into distinct visual planes. The dynamic exchange between Moses and the divine is counterposed with the cluster of figures descending, creating a balance. This division allows us to investigate the formal relationship between the figures and their expressions; do you note how Bartoli’s rendering employs dynamic contours and postures which activate the surface of the picture? Editor: I do. It's interesting how Moses is reaching up, almost mirroring God's gesture of giving. It emphasizes that moment of reception, which is balanced by the people at right who shield their faces. Curator: Precisely! This use of mirroring creates a visual echo that structurally binds the narrative. Bartoli employs these linear and formal echoes to communicate narrative information within a static image. Also note how the drapery folds add a rhythmic quality and visual complexity. How does Bartoli employ light? Editor: I think the light really enhances the drama. The areas of light and shadow really play off the muscularity of the subjects. The background fades to almost nothing; he must have wanted to put all the emphasis on the figures themselves. Curator: Observe then how the high contrast isolates forms and articulates key narrative events within the biblical story. Editor: That’s fascinating. It’s made me see how the formal elements really amplify the story's emotional core. Curator: Indeed, it is through Bartoli's precise arrangement of these formal properties that we apprehend and ultimately interpret the work.