Christ Disputing with the Doctors in the Temple

From the late 18th century through the first half of the 19th century, several European artists participated in revival styles, drawing inspiration from famous artworks, narratives, and historical figures from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance.

Although the painting seen here is not a copy of a known Renaissance artwork, Rohden’s use of color and compositional balance pays homage to the Italian artist Raphael (1483–1520). As recorded in the New Testament Book of Luke, a 12-year-old Christ, bathed in light, sits at the center of the canvas. To his right are the elders, while Mary and Joseph stand to his left. Rohden included a codex on Christ’s lap with Old Testament Hebrew inscriptions from the Book of Daniel 9:24.