Christus tussen de schriftgeleerden in de tempel 1644 - 1705

Luca Giordano made this intriguing etching of Christ among the scholars in the temple. The image shows a precocious young Jesus debating religious elders. Made in Italy, sometime in the late 17th century, the image gives us an insight into the period’s religious and intellectual climate. Notice how the artist frames Jesus on a raised platform, emphasizing his importance, with the learned men below. It's a visual representation of Jesus challenging traditional authority. Books and scrolls lie discarded at the bottom of the steps – a symbol of the old ways being overturned by fresh insight. Giordano was working in a time when the Catholic Church was still a major political power. Images like these were carefully scrutinized for their theological implications, as were the institutions where they were exhibited. To truly understand this work, historians delve into theological texts and social histories. Art, after all, is a product of its time, shaped by the prevailing social and institutional winds.