van der Stradanus, Christ Among the Doctors, after 1551, brush and brown ink and brown wash over black chalk on paper, 16 1/8 in. x 10 15/16 in. (40.9 cm. x 27.8 cm.), This drawing by Flemish-born painter Stradanus, who spent most of his professional life in Florence, depicts the twelve-year-old Jesus in ?the Temple in Jerusalem conversing from the lectern, the Bimah, with a multitude of attentive religious scholars (Luke 2:41-52). Mary enters from the right, intuiting the moment's significance. The centralized classical architecture of Stradanus's invention shows some features--such as the lectern, the arc for safekeeping the Torah, and the balcony--that characterize a sanctuary ?of a synagogue. Stradanus envisioned Christ teaching the Jews at about the time Pope Paul IV published the papal bull 'Cum nimis absurdum' (1555), which repressed Jews living in the Papal States, made their attendance of Catholic sermons mandatory on Shabbat, instituted a Roman ghetto, and resulted in a migration of many to Florence. Sephardic Jews also flocked to Florence from Spain and Portugal until Cosimo de Medici installed a ghetto there in 1571. This work is believed to be a preparatory sketch for another, slightly larger and more developed drawing in the Uffizi, Florence.
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van der Stradanus, Christ, Doctors, 1551, brush, brown ink, brown wash, black chalk, paper, 16 1/8 . x 10 15/16, 40.9 cm. x 27.8 cm., drawing, Flemish-born painter Stradanus, spent, professional life, Florence, depicts, twelve-year-old Jesus, ? Temple, Jerusalem conversing, lectern, Bimah, multitude, attentive religious scholars, Luke 2, 41-52, . Mary enters, right, intuiting, moment's significance., centralized classical architecture, Stradanus's invention, features--, lectern, arc, safekeeping, Torah, balcony-- characterize, sanctuary ?, synagogue. Stradanus envisioned Christ teaching, Jews, time Pope Paul IV published, papal bull 'Cum nimis absurdum', 1555, repressed Jews living, Papal States, attendance, Catholic sermons mandatory, Shabbat, instituted, Roman ghetto, resulted, migration, Florence. Sephardic Jews, flocked, Florence, Spain, Portugal, Cosimo de Medici installed, ghetto, 1571., work, believed, preparatory sketch, another, slightly larger, developed drawing, Uffizi, Florence
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