Artwork
Pashur smiting Jeremiah in the Temple
Pashur smiting Jeremiah in the Temple is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Leonaert Bramer. It dates from 1648 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the biblical episode in which Pashur, a Temple official, strikes the prophet Jeremiah for prophesying destruction and exile to Babylon.
The painting depicts the biblical episode in which Pashur, a Temple official, strikes the prophet Jeremiah for prophesying destruction and exile to Babylon. Bramer visualizes the moment of violence within the sacred precincts of the Temple, emphasizing the sacrilege of striking a prophet in a holy space.
The scene’s composition underscores the confrontation between religious authority and prophetic dissent, with Jeremiah’s passive endurance contrasting Pashur’s aggressive act. The painting’s religious genre signals its purpose as a moral commentary on the dangers of suppressing divine warning within institutional power structures.
Technique & Style
Created in 1648, Pashur smiting Jeremiah in the Temple is an oil painting executed on a wooden panel support. The work measures 47 cm in height and 62.5 cm in width. As a religious genre piece by Leonaert Bramer, the artist utilized oil paint to depict the biblical narrative within a confined, intimate format typical of 17th-century Dutch panel painting.
The medium allows for detailed rendering of the figures and setting characteristic of the artist's style during this period.
History & Provenance
The painting titled Pashur smiting Jeremiah in the Temple was created by the Dutch artist Leonaert Bramer in 1648. Executed in oil paint on a panel support, the work measures 47 cm in height and 62.5 cm in width. It belongs to the religious art genre and depicts a biblical narrative scene. The piece is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
Leonaert Bramer's 1648 oil painting, Pashur smiting Jeremiah in the Temple, is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam. The work is cataloged within the museum's inventory as an oil-on-panel religious piece measuring 47 cm in height and 62.5 cm in width. While the artwork is confirmed to be part of the Rijksmuseum's permanent holdings, the provided sources do not specify a unique accession number or record any past or future exhibition history for this specific painting.
Overview
Leonaert Bramer’s 1648 oil painting, Pashur smiting Jeremiah in the Temple, presents a compact, dimly lit tableau of a biblical confrontation. The canvas captures a crowded interior where a fallen figure lies amid a tumult of gesturing men, their faces partially illuminated by a muted light source. The work is held in the Rijksmuseum’s collection.
Context
Bramer, known for his exotic costumes and night scenes, often merged biblical content with atmospheric effects. Pashur smiting Jeremiah aligns with his oeuvre by combining a scriptural episode with the dramatic lighting that characterizes his work, offering insight into the period’s fascination with moral storytelling through visual intensity.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Leonaert Bramer, also Leendert or Leonard (24 December 1596 – before 10 February 1674 (date of burial)), was a Dutch painter known primarily for genre, religious, and history paintings.
- Assassination of the Bishop of Liège
Leonora Christina being Examined in Prison
A Cave in the Forest
Leonora Christina being Examined in Prison
Presentation to the temple
During the Belshazzar's banquet a hand appears and writes on the wall (Danel 5)
The last supper
The Adoration of the Magi
Mahl der Einsiedler in einer Höhle
Mocking of Christ