MAGNIFICAT: The Finding of the Savior in the Temple by William Holman Hunt (1827–1910) A visual vocabulary In his Finding of the Savior in the Temple, William Holman Hunt presents the single moment …More
MAGNIFICAT: The Finding of the Savior in the Temple by William Holman Hunt (1827–1910)
A visual vocabulary
In his Finding of the Savior in the Temple, William Holman Hunt presents the single moment between Christ’s birth and baptism captured by Scripture. Having reached the age at which young Jewish boys apprentice to their
fathers, Christ attends to his Father’s business (cf. Lk 2:49); he slips away from his parents and converses with the sages in the Temple.
Hunt engages the viewer in a quest to discover and decipher various clues throughout the painting. He weaves together a visual vocabulary of symbolism and allusion in a stunning panoply of textures, hues, and detail. Once recognized and understood, this artistic lexicon preaches an eloquent sermon on the trajectory of Christ’s life and mission.
A dramatic scene
Hunt was committed to archeological and ethnographic realism. He traveled to Jerusalem in order to research and paint on site, spending
several months studying the architecture …More
A visual vocabulary
In his Finding of the Savior in the Temple, William Holman Hunt presents the single moment between Christ’s birth and baptism captured by Scripture. Having reached the age at which young Jewish boys apprentice to their
fathers, Christ attends to his Father’s business (cf. Lk 2:49); he slips away from his parents and converses with the sages in the Temple.
Hunt engages the viewer in a quest to discover and decipher various clues throughout the painting. He weaves together a visual vocabulary of symbolism and allusion in a stunning panoply of textures, hues, and detail. Once recognized and understood, this artistic lexicon preaches an eloquent sermon on the trajectory of Christ’s life and mission.
A dramatic scene
Hunt was committed to archeological and ethnographic realism. He traveled to Jerusalem in order to research and paint on site, spending
several months studying the architecture …More