Wednesday, February 02, 2011

The Presentation of the Lord

Here is a painting that complements those offered by my colleague, Br Lawrence Lew, OP on this feast. This is Simeon's Song of Praise, otherwise known as Simeon and Anna Praise the Infant Jesus by Dutch artist Aert de Gelder (1645 - 1725). De Gelder was a student of Rembrandt. This painting he displays the hallmarks of the baroque style, such as the strong shadow and contrast with light, the variation of focus and soft and hard edges, and the depletion of colour in all but the main foci. Notice also how un-portrait like the faces of his figures are.


Behold our Lord and Master has come to his holy temple; come, let us worship him.

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