He sits on a bench in a red-striped tunic, hands together.
Bible in art · Luke
Jesus Among the Doctors (Jésus parmi les docteurs)
James Tissot · 1886–1894
Brooklyn Museum, New York
The boy Jesus sits on a low bench in a red-striped tunic, small among the teachers who crowd around him in turbans and prayer shawls. Light comes through a lattice window behind them.
Some of the old men stroke their beards, some lean in to listen. In the foreground two figures seen from behind — Mary in a flowered veil and Joseph — have just come in and stop at the edge of the group.
From the text
- “they found Him in the temple courts, sitting among the teachers” (Luke 2:46)
- “all who heard Him were astounded at His understanding” (Luke 2:47)
The artist’s own
- Prayer shawls and turbans of the teachers
- A carved wooden bench at the left
Details
The boy Jesus
Mary
Seen from behind in a flowered veil and yellow dress.
Joseph
In a dark hood, he bends towards the boy.
The teachers
Bearded men in white turbans fill the room.
James Tissot, French, 1836–1902. Brooklyn Museum, New York (Purchased by public subscription, 00.159.40) · Opaque watercolor over graphite on gray wove paper · Brooklyn Museum (Commons file page, «Permission»): "This image was uploaded by the Brooklyn Museum as a content partnership, and is considered to have no known copyright restrictions by the institutions of the Brooklyn Museum." — "No known copyright restrictions".