Presentation in the Temple
The first great altarpiece Rubens painted after his return from Italy was The Descent from the Cross, commissioned in 1611 for the chapel of the arquebusiers in the Antwerp Cathedral. The triptych was dedicated to Saint Christopher, the guild's patron saint, and the theme was the carrying of Christ. This early study is for the inside right wing, where it is Simeon, the high priest, who carries the infant Christ. Rubens used bold pen strokes to block out and then make changes in the positions of the figures; in the final painting, which is still in the cathedral at Antwerp, Rubens changed the places of Simeon and the prophetess Anna.
Artwork Details
- Title: Presentation in the Temple
- Artist: Peter Paul Rubens (Flemish, Siegen 1577–1640 Antwerp)
- Date: recto 1611; verso 1601-2
- Medium: Pen, brush and brown ink on pale tan paper; reverse, black chalk and brown ink
- Dimensions: Sheet: 8 7/16 x 5 9/16 in. (21.4 x 14.2 cm)
- Classification: Drawings
- Credit Line: Gift of Mr. and Mrs. Janos Scholz, 1952
- Object Number: 52.214.3
- Curatorial Department: Drawings and Prints
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