The Presentation in the Temple c. 1720 - 1724

Paolo Gerolamo Piola sketched "The Presentation in the Temple" with pen and brown ink, illuminated by white gouache. This scene pulsates with symbols tied to purification and sacrifice. Notice the dove, held by the kneeling woman in the foreground. This motif hearkens back to ancient rituals, where birds often represented the soul's journey or acts of atonement. In Christianity, the dove is linked to the Holy Spirit, but here, in its cage, it echoes the sacrifice required by Mosaic law for purification after childbirth, reflecting a rite of passage. Think of the sacrificial lamb in earlier depictions of Abraham, or even the Egyptian depictions of souls transforming into birds. These are all echoes, reappearing and evolving across cultures. The act of kneeling itself— seen throughout art history— is a powerful visual expression of humility, dependence, and reverence. It speaks to an emotional need for divine connection, engaging us on a primal, subconscious level. This cyclical progression reveals how such symbols resurface, evolve, and take on new meanings, binding past and present in a continuous, vibrant dialogue.