This bronze sculpture was editioned in the 1960s and installed, most notably, in front of the Canadian pavilion at the Venice Biennale in 1966, and at Expo 67 in Montreal. The piece depicts Moses wearing horns, which, according to ancient Middle Eastern traditional iconography, is an attribute of divine power.
Born in Romania, Sorel Etrog immigrated to Canada in 1963 and quickly established himself as one of North America’s pre-eminent sculptors. Known for his exploration of interconnected forms—specifically those of the human figure—Etrog developed a unique visual language, making him one of the most recognizable sculptors in this country. His works in bronze are delicate yet powerful manifestations of this complex consideration of form and figure. Etrog became a Member of the Order of Canada in 1994, and was made a Chevalier of the Order of Arts and Letters by the French government in 1996. Etrog’s works reside in various permanent collections, including Tate Britain, the Museum of Modern Art and the Solomon R. Guggenheim Museum in New York, the Musée national d’art moderne in Paris, and the National Gallery of Canada.
