The Israelites gathering Manna
Francesco Bassano the Younger (Bassano del Grappa 1549 – Venice 1592)
Category
Art / Oil paintings
Date
1569 - 1592
Materials
Oil on canvas
Measurements
749 x 965 mm (29 1/2 x 38 in)
Place of origin
Italy
Order this imageCollection
Ham House, Surrey
NT 1139800
Caption
As related in the biblical book Exodus 16: 14-22, the Israelites with Moses and Aaron had left the relatively luxurious life in Egypt to go to the promised land of Canaan but on their journey they found themselves in the wilderness with no food. God provided quail in the evening and bread from heaven, which they called manna, that they could only gather enough for each person each morning and on the sixth day there would be twice enough to prepare for the day of rest.
Summary
Oil painting on canvas, The Israelites gathering Manna, by Francesco Bassano the younger (Bassano del Grappa 1549 – Venice 1592). People in the foreground collecting food and placing it into bowls and dishes. In the background, hills and tents.
Provenance
A painting of this subject by Jacopo Bassano was mentioned in the painter's posthumous inventory in 1592; in Mr Wyck's 1683 valuation catalogue (Tollemache Papers); thence by descent until acquired in 1948 by HM Government when Sir Lyonel, 4th Bt (1854 – 1952) and Sir Cecil Tollemache, 5th Bt (1886 – 1969) presented Ham House to the National Trust, and entrusted to the care of the Victoria & Albert Museum, until 1990, when returned to the care of the National Trust, and to which ownership was transferred in 2002
Credit line
Ham House, The Dysart Collection (purchased by HM Government in 1948 and transferred to the National Trust in 2002)
Makers and roles
Francesco Bassano the Younger (Bassano del Grappa 1549 – Venice 1592), artist previously catalogued as attributed to Jacopo Bassano (Bassano c.1510 – Venice 1592), artist