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The Presentation in the Temple
The Cleveland Museum of Art

The Presentation in the Temple

pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, and black chalk, heightened with white paint; framing lines in pen and brown inkFrançois Boucher (French, 1703–1770)/c. 1770

Description

Late in his career, François Boucher adopted a drawing style characterized by strong pen lines and loosely brushed washes. This sheet, which dates from that period, depicts the blind priest Simeon, at left, who was promised that he would see the Messiah before his death. When the Christ child was brought into the temple near him, Simeon regained his sight. Boucher emphasized the miraculous event by showing divine light streaming down onto the priest from the dove above, which represents the Holy Spirit. The drawing is similar to an oil sketch (Louvre, Paris) that Boucher completed during the last year of his life -- one of the very last projects he ever completed.

Provenance

Probably Barthélemy-Augustin Blondel d'Azincourt [1719-1783], Paris; (Paris, Cabinet curieux...de M. d'Azincourt, April 18, 1770, no. 61, sold to Chariot); M. Chariot, Paris; (possibly Hotel de Bullion, Paris, Collection choisie...du Cabinet de M. Chariot, January 28, 1788, no. 128, sold to Pierre-François Basan); Possibly Pierre-François Basan [1723-1797], Paris; Jan Baptist de Graaf [1742-1804; Lugt 1120], Amsterdam; Possibly Eugénie Tripier-LeFranc [1805-1872], Paris; (Paris, Tripier-LeFranc sale, June 5-7, 1883, no. 45); John Postle Heseltine [1843-1929; Lugt 1507], London; (Richard Owen, Paris); Leonard C. Hanna Jr., Cleveland, OH, given to the Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH; The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH

Dimensions

66 × 50.9 cm

Movement / Period

Drawings

Accession No

1925.1005

Official Citations

[The Cleveland Museum of Art Official Record][Full Resolution Image]
Curatorial Affinity Stream

Continuing the Universe of François Boucher (French, 1703–1770)

Drawings • France, 18th century • Harmonious Works & Contemporaries