South German School, 16th century. Circle of Tilman Riemenschneider (Heiligenstadt, Turíngia, 1460-Würzburg, 1531) ...

South German School, 16th century. Circle of Tilman Riemenschneider (Heiligenstadt, Turíngia, 1460-Würzburg, 1531) Jesus before the doctors. Carved and polychrome wood relief. A relief executed by Tilman Riemenschneider very similar to this one is preserved in the predella of the altar of the Herrgott church in Creglingen, Bade-Würtemberg, Germany. The biblical passage of "Jesus before the doctors of the law", described in the Gospel of Saint Luke, is the only one that deals with the youth of the Messiah. This episode took place in Solomon's temple in Jerusalem when Jesus was 12 years old. The Virgin and Saint Joseph took the Child to the city to celebrate the feast of Easter. When his parents were preparing to return, they found that Jesus had disappeared, until they were astonished and amazed, him in the temple, among the great doctors of the Mosaic Law, lecturing them on various passages of Jewish doctrine. On a throne at the top of a staircase the seated Child Jesus gives lessons, on the left Saint Joseph remains in the background, as is usual in medieval works, present because the biblical narration requires it but in a passive attitude, the Virgin in the first place line with his arms crossed in front of his chest. On the right the doctors, one with a raised finger indicating that he is ready to speak or has just spoken and another seated looking towards Christ, raises his hand in an attitude of taking the floor. Through these eloquent gestures, conventions widely used in the late Gothic and also in the Renaissance and even later, the sculptor describes the dialogue clearly, so that the viewer, the faithful placed before the work, perfectly understands the action. 90 x 63 x 8 cm.