# Moses's Journey into Egypt and the Circumcision of His Son Eliezer

[View the canonical artwork record](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/mosess-journey-into-egypt-and-the-circumcision-of-his-son-eliezer-r0610cad7bafcfd>)

## Artwork

- Artist: [PERUGINO, Pietro](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287>)
- Date: 1451-1500
- Technique: Fresco, 350 x 572 cm

## Commentary

Moses&#39;s Journey into Egypt and the Circumcision of His Son Eliezer c. 1482 Fresco, 350 x 572 cm Cappella Sistina, Vatican The fresco is from the cycle of the life of Moses in the Sistine Chapel. It is located in the first compartment on the south wall. It was painted by Perugino and Pinturicchio, the latter being probably responsible for the landscape and minor scenes. This fresco depicts the story of Moses&#39; journey to Egypt after exile in the land of Midian, when the angel tells him to circumcise his second son. The paintings were to be read in pairs, one from the left and one from the right. Thus the Baptism of Christ faces the Circumcision of Moses&#39; son by Perugino and Pinturicchio. A comparison of the pairs of scenes shows clearly that the principal concern was to show how the new religion of Christ was deeper and more spiritual than the Jewish religion. Thus the pair of frescoes showing the Baptism and the Circumcision emphasize how baptism - prefigured, according to Augustine and many of the Fathers of Church, by circumcision - represents a &#34;spiritual circumcision.&#34; &lt;P&gt; &lt;TABLE ALIGN=LEFT CELLPADDING=5 BORDER=1 WIDTH=320 BGCOLOR=&#34;\#99CCCC&#34;&gt; &lt;TR VALIGN=MIDDLE&gt;&lt;TD&gt;&lt;IMG SRC=&#34;/support/gif/listen.gif&#34; BORDER=0 VALIGN=MIDDLE&gt; Suggested listening \(streaming mp3, 5 minutes\):&lt;BR&gt;&lt;A HREF=&#34;\#&#34; onClick=&#34;w=window.open \(&#39;/music1/19\_cent/rossini\_moses.html&#39;, &#39;newWin&#39;, &#39;scrollbars=yes,status=no,dependent=yes,screenX=0,screenY=0,width=350,height=350&#39;\);w.opener=this;w.focus\(\);return true&#34;&gt;&lt;B&gt;Gioacchino Rossini: Moses, Moses&#39; Prayer&lt;/B&gt;&lt;/A&gt; &lt;/TD&gt;&lt;/TR&gt;&lt;/TABLE&gt;

## Related artworks

- [Apollo and Marsyas](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/apollo-and-marsyas-r6545d0b590d473>)
- [Archangel Michael](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/archangel-michael-rd81f9af1142c06>)
- [Assumption of Mary](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/assumption-of-mary-r150d1382761db9>)
- [Assumption of the Virgin \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/assumption-of-the-virgin-detail-ra80ccdda28eee1>)
- [Assumption of the Virgin \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/assumption-of-the-virgin-detail-racb630845c3bb8>)
- [Assumption of the Virgin](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/assumption-of-the-virgin-rc76bc7ffaf391c>)
- [Assumption of the Virgin with Four Saints \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/assumption-of-the-virgin-with-four-saints-detail-r6eab98415d0bce>)
- [Assumption of the Virgin with Four Saints \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/assumption-of-the-virgin-with-four-saints-detail-r71feec748a83c3>)
- [Assumption of the Virgin with Four Saints](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/assumption-of-the-virgin-with-four-saints-r12269506eddc95>)
- [Baptism of Christ \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/baptism-of-christ-detail-r89f2e5c76fc54b>)
- [Baptism of Christ \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/baptism-of-christ-detail-rd7618247aa7ab0>)
- [Baptism of Christ \(detail\)](<https://beta.wga.hu/artists/perugino-pietro-r7715b5f56f6287/baptism-of-christ-detail-rfbeebaf2cbadbe>)

## Attribution

[Web Gallery of Art](<https://beta.wga.hu/pages/about>)