Artwork
Beschneidung Christi
Beschneidung Christi is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Ludovico Mazzolino. It dates from 1526 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Technique & Style
The figures are rendered in muted tones, and the setting is a simple interior that focuses attention on the central moment of the rite.
A small oil painting on wood panel measuring 78.5 cm by 56.5 cm, this work depicts the circumcision of Jesus. Executed in a naturalistic yet somewhat rigid style typical of early sixteenth‑century Italian religious art, the composition emphasizes the ritual act with careful attention to drapery and gesture. The figures are rendered in muted tones, and the setting is a simple interior that focuses attention on the central moment of the rite. The painting is housed in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it remains on public view.
History & Provenance
The Beschneidung Christi by Ludovico Mazzolino is dated to 1526, aligning with the artist’s known period of activity.
The painting entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum in Vienna, where it remains housed. Its provenance prior to this acquisition is not documented in the provided sources.
Ludovico Mazzolino's painting Beschneidung Christi, created in 1526, is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum. The work depicts the religious subject of the circumcision of Jesus and remains part of the museum's permanent holdings. The source provides the creation year but does not list a specific inventory or accession number for the piece. No exhibition history is recorded in the available documentation.
Overview
Ludovico Mazzolino’s Beschneidung Christi (1526) portrays the biblical circumcision of the infant Jesus. Executed in the early Baroque period, the oil painting is part of the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s collection. The composition gathers a group of figures within an architecturally elaborate interior, focusing attention on the central act of the rite.
Subject & Meaning
The work visualises the Jewish ceremony of Jesus’ circumcision, a moment that underscores his adherence to Mosaic law. Central to the scene is the infant held by a figure, surrounded by witnesses who represent both religious authority and familial devotion, highlighting the theological significance of the event within Christian narrative.
Artist & collection
Artist
Ludovico Mazzolino (1480 – c. 1528) - also known as Mazzolini da Ferrara, Lodovico Ferraresa, and Il Ferrarese - was an Italian Renaissance painter active in Ferrara and Bologna.
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