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Charles Le Brun dominated the artistic life of Paris in the 1660s and 1670s, and is best known for his ceiling paintings in the Louvre and at Versailles. This painting shows different stages of the Old Testament story where God punished the Jewish people with 'fiery serpents' for their lack of faith. Moses exhorts them to look at a bronze serpent he has set up, because 'everyone that is bitten, when he looketh upon it shall live'. Although some individuals flee, the more obedient turn towards the bronze serpent and will be saved. According to Christian teaching, this episode prefigures Christians' acceptance of Christ crucified as their redeemer. The expressive postures and facial expressions are characteristic of Le Brun who was much influenced by his contemporary Nicolas Poussin.