The Presentation in the Temple

In 1496 and 1497, the daughter and son of the “Catholic Kings,” Ferdinand and Isabella of Spain, wed the son and daughter of Emperor Maximilian I of Austria. This is one of eight panels from an enormous retable altarpiece for a church in Valladolid, Spain, believed to commemorate the alliance that united the kingdoms of Castile and Leon with the Holy Roman Empire. The splendor with which this biblical scene is depicted befits the occasion. The Jewish temple where Christ is presented to the high priest Simeon has been envisioned as a Gothic cathedral, its interior adorned with heraldic devices and escutcheons. The unknown artist, likely a Spaniard active at the royal court, was clearly inspired by Netherlandish models. He excels at the depiction of costly materials and decorative details: brocade, ermine, embroidered cloth, marble, stained glass, pearls, jewels. In the background is a richly carved choir screen, with one shutter open, revealing the candlelit altar behind it.