The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple
1398-1399
Medium
tempera on wood transferred to hardboard
Dimensions
painted surface: 146.1 × 140.3 cm (57 1/2 × 55 1/4 in.) overall: 147.2 × 140.3 cm (57 15/16 × 55 1/4 in.)
Classification
Painting
Department
CIS-R
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Samuel H. Kress Collection
Accession Number
1961.9.4
Art Historical Context
Paolo di Giovanni Fei’s *The Presentation of the Virgin in the Temple* (1398–1399) captures a beloved biblical narrative in which the young Mary ascends the steps of the Temple in Jerusalem, symbolizing her dedication to God. Created by the Sienese painter during the final years of the fourteenth century, the large panel—nearly five feet square—was designed for an altarpiece or chapel setting, inviting worshippers to contemplate the Virgin’s purity and future role. Executed in tempera on wood, a medium prized for its luminous color and fine detail, the painting reflects the refined elegance o...
About the Artist
Paolo di Giovanni Fei · 1369–1411
Paolo di Giovanni Fei (c. 1345–c. 1411) emerged as a distinctive voice in the Sienese school of painting, a tradition rooted in Siena's medieval artistic heritage. Originally from San Quirico near Castelvecchio, he settled in Siena by 1369, when records document his membership in the city's General Council, indicating he had already reached adulthood. By 1389, he appeared in the register of the pa...