Workshop of Maarten De Vos, Christ Expelled from the Temple of Jerusalem, 1600, Oil on Canvas

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Maarten de vos (antwerp, 1532 - 1603) workshop

christ expelled from the temple of jerusalem
(or, the stoning of christ)

… Read more Maarten de vos (antwerp, 1532 - 1603) workshop

christ expelled from the temple of jerusalem
(or, the stoning of christ)

oil on canvas
109 x 86 cm. - framed 121 x 97 cm.

anyone with a passion for ancient art, especially religious paintings, will be captivated by this precious painting with its unusually unusual subject matter. It depicts a rare biblical episode narrated in the gospel of john (john 10:22-39), which focuses on the intense theological conflict between jesus, after openly proclaiming 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 flanked 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 enraged, pick up stones and attempt to stone him inside the temple, forcing him to flee for safety.

christ's statement thus causes such scandal that it provokes violent reactions, foreshadowing his final condemnation; we see him walking purposefully toward the exit, turning back with a serene but firm, almost regal expression, effectively demonstrating his divine nature.

the detail at the bottom left is beautiful, featuring a female figure with long, wavy hair, her arms raised, her gaze turned upward in a pleading expression. This may be mary magdalene, who, although not mentioned in the episode, will play a key role in the moments immediately preceding and following jesus' death, emerging as the most faithful and courageous disciple.

the work, in particular, is based on an engraving by jan sadeler (brussels, 1550 - venice, 1600, 1582), which in turn was based on an invention by the flemish painter marten de vos.

at the bottom of the print is the latin caption taken from the gospel of john: "jews, christvm, ob annuntiatam ipsis veritatem, in templo lapidare conantur, ipse autem de medio eorum exivit. Ioan. X." (the jews, because of the truth he proclaimed, sought to stone christ in the temple, but he went out from among them.)

our painting, in keeping with the typical dictates of the dutch mannerist style, is characterized by muscular figures in dynamic poses and complex foreshortenings, a crowded composition, strong dynamism, and a dramatic use of chiaroscuro.

the work's style exhibits close affinities with the compositions of maarten de vos (antwerp, 1532–1603), who successfully blended traditional flemish taste with the characteristics of the italian renaissance, inherited from his apprenticeship in the workshop of frans floris and his travels to italy.

the remarkable quality of the work, characterized by a soft pictorial rendering and intense chromatic intensity, suggests that it was likely created in the master's workshop, under his direction and perhaps even influenced by him, given the mastery of hatching and the use of light.

alternatively, it is possible to hypothesize that the work was created by a talented painter from the large group of students and followers working in antwerp in the late sixteenth century, strongly influenced by de vos, in this case inspired by the etching by jan sadeler i (brussels, 1550 - venice, 1600).

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christ expelled from the temple of jerusalem
sadeler jan i (1550/1600) - engraver
vos maerten de (1532/1603) - inventor
1582

additional information:

the painting is beautifully framed and comes with a certificate of authenticity and an iconographic . This piece is attributed to the mentioned designer/maker. It has no attribution mark and no
official proof of authenticity,
however it is well documented in design history. I take full responsibility for any authenticity



issues arising from misattribution See less