Christ Among the Doctors (Veronese)

Christ Among the Doctors[1] is a painting in oils on canvas by Paolo Veronese, now in the Museo del Prado in Madrid. Its dating has been the subject of debate – the date 1548 appears on a book held by a figure seated on the stairs in the foreground, but in 1976 Diana Gisolfi Pechukas posited 1565 as the earliest possible date for the painting's production.

Christ Among the Doctors

Artist	Paolo Veronese
Year	c. 1560
Medium	oil on canvas
Dimensions	236 cm × 430 cm (93 in × 170 in)
Location	Museo del Prado, Madrid

The work was recorded as being in the Casa Contarini in Padua in 1648, but by 1686 it was in the Real Alcázar di Madrid, having possibly been brought back between 1649 and 1651 by Diego Velázquez after his second trip to Italy. It was later moved to the Buen Retiro Palace.[2]

The painting depicts an episode of biblical history, Christ among the doctors. It is a typical canvas by Veronese showing his preference for large compositions and numerous characters integrated into monumental architecture, as seen – for example – in his Feast in the House of Levi or in The Wedding at Cana. In Christ Among the Doctors twenty-five human figures in different poses and perspectives, dressed in rich clothes, display Veronese's skill in arranging a great variety of colors. The gestural expression of the characters reveals Veronese's study of classical statuary. Relegated to the background, Joseph and Mary, accompanied by the common people, search for their son.

The architectural setting recalls the style of Andrea Palladio, which is one of the arguments invoked in favour of a later creation date as the architectural designs could not be earlier than 1556, the year in which they appeared in an edition of Vitruvius's treatise De architectura.

In this work Veronese follows the typical characteristics of Venetian painting, primarily through his concern for the treatment of light and the harmony of colors. The head of the assembly may be represented by one of the bearded sages, who listens to Christ and wears the black knight's robe of the Order of the Holy Sepulcher and holds a staff of pilgrimage; this could indicate that the painting was commissioned as a reminder of a pilgrimage made to Jerusalem.

References

"Disputa di Gesù con i dottori del Tempio" (in Italian).
"Mercedes Simal López, El Buen Retiro (online encyclopedia of the Museo del Prado)" (in Spanish).

Bibliography

(in Spanish) Palladio 1508.2008, Edita General da Ediciones de Arquitectura, 2008, ISBN 978-84-936203-8-7.
(in Spanish) Filippo Pedrocco and Terisio Pignatti, Veronés:catálogo completo de pinturas (translated by José Luis Sancho Gaspar y Anselmo), Dedalo, 1993, p. 88, ISBN 978-84-460-0132-4.

External links

Wikimedia Commons has media related to Jesus among the Doctors by Paolo Veronese.

"La disputa con los doctores en el Templo" (in Spanish).
"Jesús entre los doctores" (in Spanish).
La disputa de Jesús con los doctores en el templo – El Veronés (videoclip) (in Spanish).

Paolo Veronese
Paintings	The Conversion of Mary Magdalene (1545–1548) Bevilacqua-Lazise Altarpiece (1548) Lament over the Dead Christ (c. 1548) Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine (New Haven; c. 1547–1550) Minerva between Geometry and Arithmetic (1550) Venus Disarming Cupid (c. 1550) Portrait of Iseppo da Porto and his son Adriano (c. 1555) Annunciation (c. 1556) Portrait of a Gentleman in a Fur (c. 1550–1560) Supper at Emmaus (c. 1559–1560) Portrait of a Young Man Wearing Lynx Fur (1560) Christ Among the Doctors (c. 1560) La Bella Nani (c. 1560) Saint John the Baptist Preaching (c. 1562) Venus and Adonis (Augsburg; 1562) Holy Family with Saint Catherine and Saint John the Baptist (c. 1562–1565) The Wedding at Cana (1563) Petrobelli Altarpiece (c. 1563) Allegory of Virtue and Vice (c. 1565) Allegory of Wisdom and Strength (c. 1565) The Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee (Turin; c. 1565) The Martyrdom of Saint George (1566) Portrait of Daniele Barbaro (c. 1556–1567) The Family of Darius before Alexander (1565–1570) Resurrection of the Widow of Nain's Son (1565–1570) Madonna and Child with Saints (c. 1565–1570) The Allegory of Love (c. 1570) The Feast in the House of Simon the Pharisee (Milan; 1570) Venus and Mars (1570s) Portrait of Agostino Barbarigo (1571–1572) Allegory of the Battle of Lepanto (c. 1572) Adoration of the Magi (1573) The Feast in the House of Levi (1573) The Martyrdom of Saint Justina (c. 1570–1575) Bathsheba at her Bath (1575) Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine (Venice; c. 1575) Judith with the Head of Holofernes (1575–1580) Mars and Venus with Cupid and a Dog (c. 1580) Susannah and the Elders (c. 1580) Venus and Adonis (Madrid; 1580) Cephalus and Procris (c. 1580–1584) Saint Anthony Preaching to the Fish (c. 1580–1585) Lucretia (c. 1585) Duke of Buckingham series (1590s) The Finding of Moses (Dijon, Dresden, Liverpool ✻, Lyon, Madrid, Smith collection, Turin ✻, Washington)
Related	Benedetto Caliari (brother) Gabriele Caliari (son) Carlo Caliari (son)
✻ attributed to Veronese's studio

Museo del Prado

Buildings
Villanueva building Casón del Buen Retiro Hall of Realms Cloister of Saint Jerome

Paintings

Spanish	Esquivel: José de Espronceda Gisbert: Execution of Torrijos and his Companions on the Beach at Málaga Goya: Allegory of Industry – Asmodea – Atropos – Blind Man's Bluff – Boys playing soldiers – Charles IV of Spain and His Family – Los caprichos – Christ Crucified – The Clothed Maja – The Colossus – The Countess of Chinchon – The Dog – Los disparates – The Duchess of Alba and la Beata – Fight with Cudgels – Judith and Holofernes – La Leocadia – Man Mocked by Two Women – Portrait of the Marchioness of Santa Cruz – Men Reading – The Milkmaid of Bordeaux – The Naked Maja – The Parasol – A Pilgrimage to San Isidro – Pilgrimage to the Fountain of San Isidro – Saturn Devouring His Son – The Second of May 1808 – Summer – The Third of May 1808 – Two Old Men – Two Old Ones Eating Soup – Witches' Flight – Witches' Sabbath (The Great He-Goat) El Greco: The Nobleman with his Hand on his Chest – The Adoration of the Shepherds – Doña María de Aragón Altarpiece – Annunciation – Christ Carrying the Cross – The Fable – The Flight into Egypt – Holy Face of Jesus – Holy Trinity – Julián Romero and Saint Julian – Portrait of a Doctor – Portrait of a Gentleman – Portrait of a Young Nobleman – Portrait of an Elderly Man – Portrait of an Unknown Gentleman – Portrait of Jerónimo de Cevallos – Portrait of Rodrigo Vázquez de Arce – Saint Andrew and Saint Francis – Saint Anthony of Padua – Saint Bernardino of Siena ^[1] – Saint James the Great – Saint John the Evangelist – Saint Paul – Saint Sebastian – Saint Thomas the Apostle – Holy Trinity – The Saviour – Virgin Mary Luna: The Death of Cleopatra Maíno: Adoration of the Magi – Portrait of a Gentleman – The Recovery of Bahía de Todos los Santos Murillo: Adoration of the Shepherds (1650) – Aranjuez Immaculate Conception – The Christ Child and the Infant John the Baptist with a Shell – Christ on the Cross (1675, 1677) – The Conversion of Saint Paul – The Good Shepherd – The Holy Family with a Little Bird – The Immaculate Conception of El Escorial – The Immaculate Conception of Los Venerables – The Martyrdom of Saint Andrew – Our Lady of the Rosary – The Patrician's Dream – Rebecca and Eleazar Pradilla: Doña Joanna the Mad Ribera: Jacob's Dream – Democritus – Isaac and Jacob – Ixion – Tityos – The Martyrdom of Saint Philip – The Blind Sculptor Velázquez: Las Meninas – The Triumph of Bacchus – Las Hilanderas – The Surrender of Breda – Mars Resting – Equestrian Portrait of Philip IV – Equestrian Portrait of Elisabeth of France – Equestrian Portrait of Prince Balthasar Charles – Equestrian Portrait of Philip III – Equestrian Portrait of Margarita of Austria – Equestrian Portrait of the Count-Duke of Olivares – Adoration of the Magi – Apollo in the Forge of Vulcan – Christ Crucified – Coronation of the Virgin – View of the Garden of the Villa Medici – Prince Balthasar Charles as a Hunter – Portrait of the Infante Don Carlos – Doña Antonia de Ipeñarrieta y Galdós and Her Son Don Luis – The Jester Barbarroja – The Jester Calabacillas – The Jester Don Diego de Acedo – The Jester Don John of Austria – Portrait of Francisco Lezcano – Infanta Margarita Teresa in a Pink Dress – Portrait of Maria Anna – Portrait of Juan Martínez Montañés – The Nun Jerónima de la Fuente – Portrait of Pablo de Valladolid – Portrait of Philip IV in Armour – Portrait of Mariana of Austria – Portrait of Sebastián de Morra Zurbarán: Agnus Dei – The Death of Hercules – The Defence of Cádiz Against the English – Hercules and the Hydra – Hercules Separates Mounts Calpe and Abylla – Hercules Fighting the Nemean Lion – Saint Elizabeth of Portugal – Saint Luke Painting the Crucifixion – Saint Peter Nolasco's Vision of Saint Peter the Apostle – Still Life with Pots – The Vision of Saint Peter Nolasco
Dutch, Flemish, German	Anonymous: The Fountain of Life Baldung: The Three Ages of Man and Death Bosch: The Garden of Earthly Delights – Adoration of the Magi – Cutting the Stone – The Haywain Triptych – Head of a Halberdier – Paradise and Hell – The Seven Deadly Sins and the Four Last Things – The Temptation of St Anthony Bouts: Triptych of the Virgin's Life Bruegel the Elder: The Triumph of Death – The Wine of Saint Martin's Day – Excursion in the Countryside of Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia – Life in the Countryside – The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Mariemont Park (with de Momper) – Landscape (with de Momper) – The Five Senses (with Rubens) Campin: Marriage of the Virgin – The Werl Triptych de Crayer: Caritas Romana (1625) David: Rest on the Flight into Egypt Dürer: Adam and Eve – Self-Portrait van Dyck: Self-portrait with Sir Endymion Porter – The Betrayal of Christ – The Brazen Serpent – Diana and a Nymph Surprised by a Satyr – Saint Rosalia – The Crowning with Thorns van Hemessen: The Surgeon Francken the Younger: The Sciences and the Arts Jordaens: Apollo as Victor over Pan – Meleager and Atalanta – The Painter's Family Memling: Adoration of the Magi Mengs: Portrait of José Nicolás de Azara de Momper: Landscape with Sea and Mountains – A Farm – Flemish Market and Washing Place – Landscape with Skaters – The Infanta Isabel Clara Eugenia in the Mariemont Park (with Brueghel the Elder) – Landscape (with Brueghel the Elder) Patinir: Landscape with Charon Crossing the Styx Rembrandt: Judith at the Banquet of Holofernes Rubens: The Judgement of Paris (1638) – The Three Graces – Adoration of the Magi – The Dance of the Villagers – Diana and Callisto – Equestrian Portrait of the Duke of Lerma – The Fall of Man – The Garden of Love – The Birth of the Milky Way – The Rape of Europa – The Rape of Ganymede – Saint George and the Dragon – Saturn – The Triumph of the Church – Deucalion and Pyrrha – The Five Senses (with Brueghel the Elder) Stom: The Incredulity of Saint Thomas Strobel: Feast of Herod with the Beheading of St John the Baptist Teniers the Younger: Archduke Leopold Wilhelm in his Painting Gallery in Brussels (1651) Verhaecht: Alpine Landscape van der Weyden: The Descent from the Cross – Durán Madonna
Italian	Fra Angelico: Annunciation Anguissola: Portrait of Elisabeth of Valois – Portrait of Infanta Isabella Clara Eugenia ^[2] Bellini: Madonna and Child with Saint Mary Magdalene and Saint Ursula Botticelli: The Story of Nastagio Degli Onesti, part one Caravaggio: David and Goliath Carracci: Assumption of the Virgin – Mural Paintings from the Herrera Chapel – Venus, Adonis and Cupid Correggio: Noli me tangere – Madonna and Child with the Infant John the Baptist A. Gentileschi: The Birth of Saint John the Baptist O. Gentileschi: The Finding of Moses (1633) Leonardo: Mona Lisa (by his studio) Lotto: Portrait of Marsilio Cassotti and His Bride Faustina Mantegna: Death of the Virgin Parmigianino: Holy Family with Angels – Portrait of Camilla Gonzaga and Her Three Sons – Portrait of Pier Maria Rossi di San Secondo – Saint Barbara Raphael: Portrait of a Cardinal – Christ Falling on the Way to Calvary – Madonna of the Rose – Visitation – La Perla (with Romano) Romano: Holy Family under an Oak Tree Andrea del Sarto: Sacrifice of Isaac Tintoretto: Christ Washing the Disciples' Feet – Joseph and Potiphar's Wife – Judith and Holofernes (by his studio) – The Washing of the Feet Tiepolo: The Immaculate Conception Titian: The Bacchanal of the Andrians – Equestrian Portrait of Charles V – The Fall of Man – Alfonso d'Avalos Addressing his Troops – Danaë Receiving the Golden Rain (1565) – The Entombment – La Gloria – Madonna and Child with St Anthony of Padua and St Roch – Mater Dolorosa – Philip II in Armour – Portrait of Charles V with a Dog – Portrait of Federico II Gonzaga – Portrait of Isabella of Portugal – Sisyphus – Tityus – Religion saved by Spain – Self-Portrait (1567) – St Margaret and the Dragon – Venus and Adonis (1554) – Venus and Musician (1550, 1555) – The Virgin and Child with Saint George and Saint Dorothy – The Worship of Venus Veronese: Venus and Adonis – Christ Among the Doctors – The Finding of Moses
French	Anonymous: Agony in the Garden Baudry: The Pearl and the Wave van Loo: The Family of Philip V (1743) Lorrain: Landscape with St Paula of Rome Embarking at Ostia – The Ford – Landscape with St María de Cervelló – Landscape with the Burial of St Serapia – Landscape with the Finding of Moses – Landscape with the Temptation of St Anthony – Landscape with Tobias and Raphael Poussin: Parnassus – Landscape with Three Figures – Saint Cecilia Ranc: The Family of Philip V (1723) – Portrait of Ferdinand VI as a Boy Watteau: Marriage Contract and Country Dancing Vouet: Time Defeated by Love, Beauty and Hope
Other	British paintings

Sculptures

Rome	The Apotheosis of Claudius Castor and Pollux

^[1] On display at El Greco Museum in Toledo
^[2] On display at the Spanish Embassy in Paris

Category

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