(Vienna 1699–1760 Venice)
Moses and the Burning Bush,
oil on canvas, 100 x 127 cm, framed

Literature: F. Pedrocco, Qualche novità per Antonio, Francesco e Nicolò Guardi, in: Firmantiquari. Federazione Italiana Mercanti d’Arte, 3.1994, pp. 54–59, p. 55

According to Pedrocco, the present painting is dependent on models by Jacopo da Ponte, particularly on an engraving by Pietro Menarola from 1685 based on Bassano’s popular composition Saint John in the Desert, which he originally executed for the church of San Francesco in Bassano (today in the Museo Civico, Bassano).

For the present composition, Antonio Guardi adopted the saint’s position from the engraving, which in turn repeats the altarpiece in the reverse direction. Our painting differs from the engraving in the addition of several sheep and the dog curling up next to Moses. Antonio seems to have borrowed the dog and the flock of sheep from engravings after Bassano’s allegories Summer and Winter. Hence this painting by Antonio Guardi can be considered a pastiche composed of several engravings based on paintings by Bassano, which Guardi successfully translated into his own language of form and colour.
The palette, dominated by brown hues, and the generous treatment of the figures resemble other works by Guardi, such as his Saint John, a copy based on Titian (Venice, Gallerie dell’Accademia).