The presentation of Jesus to Simeon in the temple, after Dürer 1495 - 1539

"The Presentation of Jesus to Simeon in the Temple, after Dürer," was made by Marcantonio Raimondi, sometime before 1534, using engraving. Raimondi, an Italian engraver known for his reproductions, here borrows from the famed German artist Albrecht Dürer. During the Renaissance, the circulation of images through prints played a crucial role in spreading artistic ideas across Europe. Consider how reproduction and authorship intersect here; Raimondi’s engraving serves as both an homage to and an interpretation of Dürer’s original vision. The scene depicts the biblical episode of Jesus' presentation at the Temple in Jerusalem. Note the expressions and gestures of the figures, from the kneeling woman offering a box, to the faces in the crowd who have come to witness this event. What does it mean to translate, or even borrow, another artist’s work? How does the act of copying change the original? This engraving prompts us to consider the complex relationships between artistic invention, cultural exchange, and the dissemination of religious narratives in the Renaissance.