One of the cultural legacies of world culture is a phenomenon called the Bible of The Poor. It is a series of windows depicting certain scenes presented in the Bible. The name refers to the fact that in the heyday of Christianity, many commoners could not read, and such objects of architecture were one of the only ways to study religion on their own. One of the brightest examples is The Moses windows, which were created in the 12th century and had many copies worldwide. In chronological order, the images go from bottom to top. Thus, this analysis will draw parallels between the images and the stories they refer to in the window.
The first is the story which shows the moment when Pharaoh’s daughter finds Moses in a basket. The author tries to convey an image of aristocratism through the colorful robes and headdresses and the posture presented, radiating refinement. The following image shows a scene where God addresses Moses in a burning bush. In order to give the event a sense of divine presence, the author depicts the fire as a maroon circle, thus presumably symbolizing a halo. “Alike form but an unlike cause does to the pharaoh’s army,” this scene from the Bible is demonstrated by the following image, where Pharaoh’s army is submerged. Consequently, here one can see a burgundy circle similar to the scene with the burning bush, a symbol of divine intervention.
The penultimate image shows the scene where Moses raises the bronze serpent, where an abundance of various characters try to convey the sacredness and general reverence of the event. “The law having been given to Moses” in the concluding scene shows one of the critical milestones in the history of this character, which is one of the most famous events in religious culture. Thus, the stories told here are revealed in as much detail as possible for the Bible-conscious individual but require some analytical skills for detailed understanding.
In conclusion, The Moses window demonstrates the mastery of 12th-century cultural and religious figures. The abundance of varied techniques and the creative representation and variety of events from the Bible on display fully introduce its viewer to the foundation of religious folklore. Moreover, while today this window is presented as a cultural heritage, at the time of its creation, it served the crucial purpose of educating society through simple and comprehensible images conveyed visually.