Christ among the Doctors
Unknown Artist
early 16th century
Medium
Oak, polychromy, parcel gilt
Dimensions
Overall: 26 1/2 x 19 x 11 1/2 in. (67.3 x 48.3 x 29.2 cm)
Classification
Sculpture-Wood
Culture
German
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of J. Pierpont Morgan, 1916
Accession Number
16.32.218
Tags
Art Historical Context
"Christ among the Doctors," a captivating early 16th-century German oak sculpture, vividly captures the biblical moment from Luke 2:41-52, where the young Jesus engages in debate with learned scholars in the Jerusalem Temple. Carved from oak and enhanced with polychromy—vibrant painted colors—and parcel gilding for selective golden highlights, this work exemplifies the exquisite craftsmanship of late medieval and early Renaissance wood sculpture in Germany. Standing at 26 1/2 x 19 x 11 1/2 inches, its intimate scale suggests it was likely intended for private devotion or a church altar, inviti...