Presentation of Mary in the Temple

Gaddi was commissioned by the rich Baroncelli family to decorate their chapel in the Santa Croce, the Franciscan church, in Florence. The frescoes depict the life of Mary. This painting shows the scene when the three years old Mary is presented in the Temple of Jerusalem. The scene is dominated by the imposing church architecture of the church. The perspective is represented by the different size of the figures, arranged around a circle.

Suggested listening (streaming mp3, 22 minutes): Johann Sebastian Bach: Cantata, BWV 82