Presentation in the Temple
Medium
Black chalk on ivory laid paper, laid down on cream wove board
Dimensions
24.8 × 18.9 cm (9 13/16 × 7 1/2 in.)
Classification
graphite
Department
Prints and Drawings
Museum
Art Institute of Chicago
Accession Number
82036
Art Historical Context
Pietro Antonio di Pietri’s *Presentation in the Temple* offers a sensitive rendering of the biblical episode from the Gospel of Luke, in which Mary and Joseph present the infant Jesus at the temple. Executed in black chalk on ivory laid paper, the modestly sized drawing measures just 24.8 by 18.9 centimeters. Its classification as a work on paper places it within the Art Institute of Chicago’s Prints and Drawings collection, where such studies reveal the artist’s exploratory process. The medium of black chalk allows for soft tonal gradations and precise line work, ideal for capturing drapery ...