Study for "The Presentation of Christ in the Temple" (for Saint Ulrich, Vienna)
Medium
oil on canvas
Dimensions
unframed: 69.5 × 52.3 cm · framed: 90 × 70 × 9 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
European Painting and Sculpture
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
Accession Number
1963.326
Tags
About this artwork
This loosely painted sketch is the preliminary design for an altarpiece in the Church of Saint Ulrich, Vienna. Mary and Joseph have brought the infant Jesus to the temple to be inducted into the Jewish faith; the aged priest Simeon cradles the infant in his arms, turning his gaze to heaven as he realizes that he is holding the Son of God. Strong contrasts of light and shadow underscore the drama of the moment. The frame is not original to this painting, but was made by an Austrian craftsman in t...