The Presentation in the Temple
ca. 1543–46
Medium
Etching
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1927
Accession Number
27.78.2(54)
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
Andrea Schiavone, also known as Andrea Meldola (c. 1522–1563), was a prominent Venetian artist of the Renaissance whose dynamic style bridged the High Renaissance and emerging Mannerism. Active in Venice during the mid-16th century, he drew inspiration from masters like Titian and Parmigianino, infusing his works with elegant figures, dramatic poses, and intricate compositions. *The Presentation in the Temple*, an etching created around 1543–46, captures a pivotal biblical moment from the Gospel of Luke: the infant Jesus being presented at the Temple by Mary and Joseph, greeted by the prophet Simeon. This print exemplifies Schiavone's mastery of etching, a relatively new technique in the 16th century that allowed artists to achieve fluid lines, rich tonal contrasts, and expressive textures directly on metal plates. Unlike engraving's rigid burin, etching's acid-bitten lines lent a painterly freedom, making prints like this more accessible for dissemination across Europe. The scene teems with architectural elements of the Temple, graceful men and women in period attire, and even camels—perhaps evoking an exotic, Eastern ambiance to heighten the sacred narrative's universality. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (acquired via the Harris Brisbane Dick Fund in 1927), this work highlights the Renaissance fascination with religious iconography and the innovative role of prints in art history. Visitors will appreciate its lively energy, a testament to Venice's vibrant printmaking tradition.
About the Artist
Andrea Schiavone (Andrea Meldola) · 1510–1563
Andrea Schiavone, born Andrea Meldolla around 1510 or 1515 in Zara (modern Zadar, Croatia), in Venetian-ruled Dalmatia, hailed from a family rooted in Meldola near Forlì in Romagna, Emilia-Romagna. His father, Simon Meldolla, served as a garrison commander there, and both parents originated from Meldola, where the family held property into the early 16th century. Nicknamed "Schiavone"—"the Slav"—a...