The Presentation of Christ in the Temple

1504

From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art

Dominant colour

The Presentation of Christ in the Temple is a 1504 by Albrecht Dürer, a Renaissance work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.

Who painted this?: Albrecht Dürer
When & what style?: 1504 · Renaissance
Where can I see it?: Cleveland Museum of Art

About this work

This painting shows a scene from the Bible. It's a moment when Jesus is presented at the temple. The artist included many details, like the clothes people are wearing and the temple's architecture, which gives us a glimpse of what life was like back then. The scene is very detailed, with many people and objects. The artist, Albrecht Dürer, was very skilled at drawing and printmaking. He made this scene look very realistic. You can learn more about this style by looking at the work of artist: Albrecht Dürer (German, 1471–1528).

The story of this work

Overview

These eight woodcuts (1959.99.8-15) progress from Gabriel’s announcement to Mary that she would bear the Son of God, to the events of her early motherhood and beyond. This included the joy of sharing her pregnancy with her cousin Elizabeth, Jesus’s birth, and the subsequent arrival of the magi. After Jesus’s circumcision and presentation at the temple the Holy Family fled to Egypt to avoid Herod and stayed there for several years. The seemingly out of place last scene shows a glimpse of their daily life in Egypt as Joseph continues his carpentry and Mary spins wool. The Holy Family is…

Read the full account in the museum source.