Raymond De Lafage (1656-1684), Moses and the Brazen Serpent. Ink and pencil on paper. Signed (signature faded). De Lafage, who was deeply influenced by the Italian renaissance artists, made use of the motif of the Brazen Serpent in several of his works. His interest in anatomy is clearly seen in the muscular bodies of the figures in the drawing. According to Whitman (see below), the illustration demonstrates the direct influence of the ancient statue Laocoön and His Sons, displayed in Rome, where de Lafage lived and worked for a period of time. Different versions of the present drawing are found in several museums and galleries, including the Albertina Museum in Vienna. For other versions of the drawing, and for further reading, see: the Drawings of Raymond Lafage, Nathan T. Whitman. Ann Arbor: The University of Michigan, 1963. 44X53 cm. Good-fair condition. Stains. Minor blemishes. Tears (repaired; the work is mounted on thin, acid-free paper). Matted. Exhibition: Old Testament, Old Masters: The Bible in 16th-19th Century Art, Tel Aviv Museum of Art, 2005 (curated by Doron Lurie). Provenance: Private collection. Purchased in Tiroche Auction House, 11/9/2009.