Moses & Tziporah at the Well
“Moses & Tziporah at the Well”, acrylic on watercolor paper, © D. Yael Bernhard
The land of Midian has always intrigued me. Like the ancient nomadic Hebrews, the Midianites were tent-dwelling desert wanderers, herders of domesticated animals. It makes sense, therefore, that the young Moses made his way there when he fled his birthplace, Egypt. The son of Hebrew slaves, as a baby Moses was plucked from the Nile by an Egyptian princess who raised him as her own son, granting him a uniquely privileged upbringing. Yet the future prophet knew his true origins, and defending his people, got in trouble, and then escaped to the desert wilderness. Moses’ twin character traits of humility and courage have made this story from the Book of Exodus a favorite among Jews and Christians for centuries.
One can only imagine what it was like, in such a time as the 14th century BCE, to travel on foot alone across the Arabian desert. Most likely he was exhausted and dehydrated when he arrived at the oasis where several Midianite women were bringing their animals to drink. Once again, the young prophet found more injustice unfolding before his parched eyes: a gaggle of men harassing the women. And once again, something rose up inside him, and compelled him to stand up to it. He chased the rogues away, and to make a long story short, ended up marrying the eldest shepherdess, Tziporah, one of seven daughters of Jethro.
In illustrating a story, one must choose which moment to show. In this case, the moment chose me, for this is what came to my mind’s eye: a vision of Moses standing in unwavering moral conviction, while the astonished Tziporah looks on, amazed by this mysterious stranger who has come to her aid from out of nowhere. This is not the last time her future husband will have to stand up for her, for their inter-tribal marriage causes strife among the Hebrews – and probably among the Midianites, too, though the Torah doesn’t cover this. (I can’t help but wonder if this tribal friction, which continues to plague humanity to this day, was the kernel of inspiration for Shakespeare’s Romeo and Juliette.) What I hoped to depict most of all in this scene is the connection between future husband and wife that is already forming as they stand together at the well.
This wasn’t an easy scene to illustrate, and I consider this piece to be merely a color study, of modest dimensions, painted on watercolor paper with minimal detail. I didn’t have time to develop it any further, and would have needed a much larger canvas to do justice to the craggy desert landscape and open sky of Midian, which is found in today’s northwest Saudi Arabia. Many artists have depicted Moses in Midian, with many interpretations of his appearance and that of Tziporah. I imagine her as exotic, earthy, full of spirit – perhaps not the prettiest among her sisters, but the most striking, a woman of feminine strength and courage.
Storytelling images must also hint at what comes before and after the moment depicted. Body language and facial expressions help convey the narrative – human characteristics that first emerged in Renaissance art, awkwardly at first but with a richness that has endured. The power of suggestion comes into play as understated images spark the viewer’s imagination. Think of Rembrandt’s portrait of Aristotle contemplating the bust of Homer . . . a masterpiece of subtlety that points far beyond the image shown. I would love to see how Rembrandt would have painted this scene.
Moses & Tziporah at the Well is the image for January 2025 in The Jewish Eye 5785/2025 Calendar of Art. The original painting is for sale; please respond directly to this post for more information. The Jewish Eye Calendar of Art is available in my webstore, on Amazon; or if you’re local, at The Tender Land giftshop in Phoenicia, NY; or directly from me. All the images may be viewed in my webstore.
A good week to all!
D. Yael Bernhard
https://dyaelbernhard.com
Have you seen my other Substack, The Art of Health? In addition to being a visual artist, I’m also a certified integrative health & nutrition coach with a lifelong passion for natural food cooking and herbal medicine. Now in its second year, this illustrated newsletter explores cutting-edge concepts of nutrition. I strive to make relevant information clear and accessible, and to anchor essential health concepts in unique images. Check it out, and if you like it, please subscribe and help spread the word. Your support keeps my work going!