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In a message dated 97-11-25 01:29:06 EST, C. Thomas Ault writes: > One also wonders why other artists (painters) of the period > seem to have got it straight and represent Moses, in one way or > another, with light radiating from his head. In fact, there is one > in the Vatican, not far from the Sistine Chapel, which shows Moses > in two poses, with light radiating from his head in the form of > golden rays. This is "The Testament and Death of Moses" by Luca > Signorelli (1445-1523). > I've heard a second theory about the horns, which I discounted immediately. This was that medieval Christians regarded Jews as devils, and therefore showed them with horns. Obviously this isn't true as a rule. Plenty of OT figures are represented in medieval art, and no horns. It <is> possible the two theories were intermingled for some artists. If Moses was regarded as a representative of the Old Law, and Old Law was regarded as wrong (or antithetical to New Law), there might be a faint logic for the (diabolical?) horns. Or, because of the horns on the Tabernacle, horns might have been thought of as Hebraic or associated with Hebraic law. I'm as fascinated by the beard on Michelangelo's Moses as by the horns. It seems unnatural and overly luxuriant, as if it would have hung down to his thighs if he had stood up. So far as I know, men's beards don't really grow that long, even if never trimmed. pat sloane %%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%%