3-039-921 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

Initial S: The Presentation in the Temple, about 1475-1500. Additional Info:The Presentation of Jesus in the Temple is an event from the Christian Bible’s Book of Luke. In this story, Mary and Joseph take the newborn Child to the Temple in Jerusalem as a part of a Jewish religious tradition. According to the laws given by God to Moses, mothers of new-born boys were to come to the Temple 40 days after giving birth to dedicate the child to God. The presentation also functioned as a purification ritual for the mother, who was believed to be unclean after giving birth. In this crowded composition that is nestled in the letter S, Joseph is seen from behind, carrying the two doves for the ceremony, while the Jewish priest Simeon reaches out to take the baby Jesus across the altar. The Presentation in the Temple contains a depiction of a sculpture in the background that shows Moses holding the Ten Commandments, written in pseudo-Hebrew (writing meant to suggest Hebrew letter forms).