Moses Speaks to the Children of Israel 1548

Augustin Hirschvogel etched “Moses Speaks to the Children of Israel,” capturing a pivotal moment with striking imagery. The dominant symbol is Moses' veiled face, a direct reference to the radiant glow he acquired upon receiving the Ten Commandments. This motif of a veiled or radiant face has roots stretching back to antiquity. Consider the Greek myths of gods and heroes whose visages were too powerful for mortal eyes, or the depictions of divine figures in early Christian art shrouded in light. Over time, the veil has come to represent not only divine presence but also the limits of human perception, a barrier between the mortal and the transcendent. Here, Hirschvogel taps into our collective subconscious, stirring feelings of awe and trepidation. The veiled face is more than just a symbol; it is a psychoanalytic trigger, evoking the primal fear and fascination we have always held for the unknown and unknowable. The veiled or radiant face continues its non-linear journey, reappearing in various guises and perpetually reinventing itself.