Presentation in the Temple Giotto di Bondone (1266-1337)
Giotto di Bondone – Presentation in the Temple
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Painter: Giotto di Bondone
Location: Isabella Stewart Gardner Museum, Boston.
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Italian painter Giotto di Bondone depicted the offering to the temple of Christ. Giotto was a Western European painter of the Middle Ages. The artist never adhered to the canons of painting of the time. He was the first artist in history to introduce realism into his works. Giotto’s series of narrative paintings are based on biblical stories. It is these with a high degree of realism that the artist presents in his works.
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Description of Giotto di Bondone’s painting "The Offering at the Temple"
Italian painter Giotto di Bondone depicted the offering to the temple of Christ. Giotto was a Western European painter of the Middle Ages. The artist never adhered to the canons of painting of the time. He was the first artist in history to introduce realism into his works.
Giotto’s series of narrative paintings are based on biblical stories. It is these with a high degree of realism that the artist presents in his works. At first glance the painting reveals its content to the viewer. Immediately you can understand the nature and role of the characters, to capture the essence of the action depicted. The composition is of a multi-figure character. The main action is accompanied by several side episodes that create a special background for the story. The picture is executed in soft, warm yellow-orange and purple colors.
The picture is painted in the period from 1320 to 1325. To the left of the altar is depicted a young Mary who, with anxiety and trembling, has handed the infant into the hands of the elder. Mary’s anxious feeling is portrayed, giving away all the sorrow of Godamateri’s worries about the fate of her child. Behind Mary stands Joseph holding two doves as a symbol of the offering to the temple.
To the right of the altar is Simeon the Receiver of God, gently holding the infant Jesus in his arms. He stands on the threshold of the New Testament, which he cannot cross. Simeon tells Mary from all of Old Testament humanity a prophecy of a weapon that will pass into her soul. The words he says have become a prayer and are repeated every vespers. The child stretches out his little hand to his mother, as if to ask her to take him away.
Standing behind the elder is Anna the Prophetess. She holds a long scroll in her hand. She anxiously observes what is happening and informs Mary and Joseph of the danger and the need to save the child. Mary, Joseph, and baby Jesus are about to flee to Egypt.
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To the left stands an older man, distinguished by his beard and wearing a yellow robe over a blue undergarment. He gestures towards the central grouping with an open hand, suggesting presentation or introduction. Adjacent to him is a woman draped in a dark blue cloak, her face turned slightly away from the viewer, conveying a sense of modesty or reverence. She extends her arm forward, seemingly offering something – perhaps symbolic – to those present.
Within the pavilions embrace, a man dressed in a pink robe holds an infant. The child is positioned centrally and appears to be the focal point of attention. To his right stands another figure clad in green, holding what seems to be a scroll or document. This individual’s posture suggests observation or acknowledgement of the event taking place.
The palette employed is restrained, relying on earth tones – ochre for the background, pink and yellow for garments – with touches of blue and green providing contrast. The figures are rendered with elongated proportions and stylized features, characteristic of a particular artistic tradition. Their expressions are serene and contemplative, contributing to the overall atmosphere of solemnity.
Subtleties in the arrangement suggest layers of meaning beyond the immediate depiction. The architectural structure could be interpreted as representing divine order or sanctity. The gestures of the figures imply ritualistic actions, possibly signifying an offering or a formal introduction into a community. The infant’s central placement underscores his importance within this narrative. The scroll held by the figure in green might symbolize law, knowledge, or prophecy – elements often associated with religious contexts. Overall, the work conveys a sense of reverence and formality, hinting at a significant event steeped in tradition and spiritual significance.