The Presentation of Christ in the Temple 1485 - 1515

This is Moderno’s bronze plaquette, "The Presentation of Christ in the Temple" made in Italy in the late 15th or early 16th century. Its subject is the gospel narrative of Mary and Joseph bringing the infant Jesus to the temple in Jerusalem. But why make an image like this in bronze? We can start to understand that question by looking into the social context of Italian Renaissance humanism. With its arches and vaults, the architecture in the background evokes ancient Roman temples, which had become powerful cultural symbols in Italy at this time. This interest in classical antiquity was part of a broader intellectual movement that sought to revitalize education, politics, and the arts by studying classical sources. This plaquette is conservative in its subject matter but progressive in its style. The interpretation of art like this begins with careful observation, but it extends to the study of literary sources, social practices, and institutional histories. Each of these can inform our understanding. In this case, the rise of humanism in Renaissance Italy.