On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P00491
- Author
- Veronese, Paolo (Italian)
- Title
- Christ with the Doctors in the Temple
- Chronology
- Ca. 1560
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 236 cm x 430 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- COLECCION REAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
This work illustrates the final
passage of Christ's childhood (Luke
2, 41-50) when, at the age of 12,
he was taken to Jerusalem by his
parents to celebrate Passover. Mary
and Joseph lost their son, and
later found him in the Temple,
arguing with the doctors. Christ's
theological superiority is
emphasized by his placement towards
the top of the composition's axis.
The doctors look on as he
enumerates his arguments on his
fingers. Outstanding among the
onlookers is a bearded old man who
is undoubtedly the person who
commissioned this painting. He
wears the habit of a Knight of the
Holy Sepulcher and holds a
pilgrim's staff, which leads us to
suppose that he may have
commissioned this painting to
commemorate a pilgrimage to the
Holy Lands.
A character in the foreground
carries a book with the number
MCXLVIII (1548), which has
generated some argument among
specialists. Many of them consider
the mastery shown by the painter in
this work incompatible with such an
early date if, indeed, the number
is supposed to indicate the
painting's date. It has also been
pointed out that the architectural
background of this work is derived
from engravings by Vitruvius
published in 1556.
In 1648, this work was at the Casa
Contarini in Padua. It is listed at
Madrid's Alcázar Palace in 1686 and
may have been acquired by Velasquez
during his second trip to Italy
(1649-1651).
Location on the map
