De opdracht in de tempel

About this artwork

…; from the dealer Deirkauf, Utrecht, fl. 1,000, to the museum, with support from the F.G. Waller fonds, 1960

Art Historical Context

Lelio Orsi's *De opdracht in de tempel* (The Presentation in the Temple), a delicate pen drawing from the artist's active years (ca. 1511–1587), captures a pivotal biblical scene from the Gospel of Luke. Here, the Virgin Mary and Joseph offer the infant Jesus at the Jerusalem Temple, greeted by the prophet Simeon—an enduring motif in Renaissance art symbolizing redemption and prophecy. Orsi, a Ferrarese draftsman influenced by Correggio's soft modeling and emerging Mannerist grace, renders this sacred moment with intricate line work on a modest sheet measuring 260 × 347 mm. Executed in pen—li...