The Finding of Moses

This Finding of Moses, held in the Manchester Art Gallery, depicts the discovery of the infant Moses among the reeds of the Nile by Pharaoh's daughter — a subject that allowed Baroque painters to combine lush landscape settings with richly costumed figures in a scene of dramatic discovery. Cortona's treatment brings the grandeur of his Roman Baroque style to this Old Testament narrative, creating a scene that balances natural beauty with human drama and divine providence.

The composition stages the discovery within a verdant landscape, using the riverbank setting to create a naturalistic frame for the figural group. Cortona's warm palette and fluid brushwork animate the rich costumes and expressions of Pharaoh's daughter and her attendants.