The Adoration of the Golden Calf

The "Adoration of the Golden Calf" is a painting by the Italian Renaissance artist Tintoretto, created around 1560. It depicts a scene from the Old Testament where the Israelites, during their Exodus from Egypt, worshipped a golden idol. This act is considered a profound apostasy, a rejection of their faith in God. The idol is thought to represent the Egyptian bull god Apis or the Canaanite god Baal. In the biblical narrative, Moses, upon returning from Mount Sinai, broke the tablets of the Law in response to this idolatry. Tintoretto's work is noted for its dramatic use of light and space, characteristic of his mature style. The term "golden calf" has also come to symbolize an object of materialistic worship.12