Solomon originally designed 'The Infant Moses' as painting entitled 'The Mother of Moses' (exh. RA 1860, oil on canvas, Delware Art Museum, Wilmington). The scene depicts the moments before Moses' mother, Jochabed, leaves him in the bulrushes. She stands cradling Moses in her arms whilst his sister, Miriam, gazes at her brother for the last time (Exodus II,3).