Christ Expelled from the Temple of Jerusalem, Maarten de Vos (Antwerp, 1532 – 1603) workshop

Maarten de Vos (Antwerp, 1532 – 1603) workshop

Christ expelled from the Temple of Jerusalem
(Or the stoning of Christ)

Oil painting on canvas
109 x 86 cm. – In frame 121 x 97 cm.

FULL DETAILS OF THIS PAINTING (CLICK HERE)

Anyone with a passion for ancient works of art, especially religious paintings, will be enchanted by this precious painting with an undoubtedly unusual subject, depicting a rare biblical episode narrated in the Gospel of John (Jn 10:22-39) centred on the very harsh theological clash between Jesus, after having openly proclaimed his divine nature, and a group of Jews.

Going into the details of the episode, the scene takes place during the Feast of the Dedication (Hanukkah), when Jesus, at Solomon's Porch in the Temple of Jerusalem, is joined by some Jews to whom he proclaims: "I and the Father are one", perhaps the most powerful and significant passage in the entire New Testament.

These words of Jesus are considered blasphemous by the Jews present who, deeply angry, pick up stones and try to stone him inside the Temple, forcing him to move away for safety.

Christ's statement thus causes such a scandal that it provokes violent reactions, prefiguring what will be his final condemnation; we see him as he walks resolutely towards the exit, turning back with a serene but firm, almost regal expression, effectively manifesting his divine nature.

The detail at the bottom left is beautiful, featuring a female figure with long, wavy hair and raised arms, gazing upward in supplication. She may be Mary Magdalene, who, although not mentioned in the episode, will play a key role in the moments before and immediately after Jesus' death, emerging as his most faithful and courageous disciple.

The work, in particular, is deduced from the engraving by Jan Sadeler (Brussels, 1550 – Venice, 1600 of 1582), in turn made on the basis of an invention by the Flemish painter Marten de Vos (imm.1, https://patrimonioculturale.regione.fvg.it/stampa/?s_id=537940 )**.

At the bottom of the print is the Latin caption taken from the Gospel of John: "Judaei, CHRISTVM, ob annuntiatam ipsis veritatem, in templo lapidare conantur, ipse autem de medio eorum exivit. IOAN. (The Jews, because of the truth he announced, try to stone Christ in the temple, but he came out from among them).

Our painting, in keeping with the typical dictates of the Dutch Mannerist style, is characterised by muscular figures in dynamic poses and complex foreshortenings, characterised by a crowded composition, a strong dynamism and a dramatic use of chiaroscuro.

The style of the work shows close affinities with the compositions of Maarten de Vos (Antwerp, 1532 – 1603), who was able to blend traditional Flemish taste with the characteristics of the Italian Renaissance, inherited from his apprenticeship in the workshop of Frans Floris and from his trip to Italy.

The remarkable quality of the work, characterised by a soft pictorial rendering and an intense chromatic tone, suggests that it was likely created in the master's workshop, or under his direction and without excluding his intervention, given the technical mastery in hatching and the use of light.

Otherwise, it is possible to hypothesize that the work was created by a good painter belonging to the large group of students and followers working in Antwerp at the end of the sixteenth century and strongly influenced by de Vos, in this case inspired by the etching of Jan Sadeler I (Brussels, 1550 – Venice, 1600).

**
Christ expelled from the Temple of Jerusalem
Sadeler Jan I (1550/1600) – engraver
Vos Maerten de (1532/ 1603) – inventor
1582

ADDITIONAL INFORMATION:

The painting comes with a nice frame and is accompanied by a certificate of authenticity and a descriptive iconographic sheet.

We take care of and organize the transport of the purchased works, both for Italy and abroad, through professional and insured carriers.

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