Moses and the Tables of the Law

A fresco by Rosselli on the southern wall of the Sistine Chapel. It is part of the series on the life of Moses. Opposite this fresco is the one showing the Sermon on the Mount.

Moses receives the tables from God on Mount Sinai. The sleeping youth is Joshua.

To the left on the foreground Moses and Joshua are back and show the tables to the people.

In the center Moses is infuriated when he discovers what has happened in his absence. Spurred on by Moses' brother Aaron the Jews have made a golden calf that they have worshiped as an idol. Moses smashes the tables and the worshipers are punished (right).