Curatorial Narrative The Copper Serpent Built in the Wilderness by Moses by Anna Biliska-Bohdanowicz is an exemplar of Realist painting from the early 1880s, a period marked by a shift towards greater naturalism and accuracy. Biliska-Bohdanowicz’s work reveals a nuanced understanding of light and shadow, as seen in her use of soft brushwork to capture the subtle gradations of tone on Moses’ robes and the serpent’s scaly body. The artist’s palette is characterized by a restrained range of neutral tones, with the addition of subtle highlights of red and orange that imbue the scene with a sense of warmth and depth. This chromatic structure creates an atmospheric weight that draws the viewer’s eye into the composition, while the minimalist design style allows the figures to occupy center stage without distracting ornamentation. The 44×57 inch print presents a more expansive view of the scene, with the spatial rhythm established by Bil