The Circumcision
1611–74
Medium
Point of brush, watercolor and gray wash, over slight indications in black chalk
Dimensions
11 15/16 x 14 3/16 in. (30.3 x 36.1 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Purchase, Ian Woodner Family Collection Fund, Karen B. Cohen Fund, Van Day Truex Fund, Gifts in memory of Jacob Bean, Stephen A. Geiger Gift, and funds from various donors, 1994
Accession Number
1994.19
Tags
Art Historical Context
Leonaert Bramer's *The Circumcision* (c. 17th century) captures a pivotal biblical moment from the Gospel of Luke, depicting the ritual circumcision of the infant Jesus on his eighth day, surrounded by Mary, Joseph, and attendants. Created during the Dutch Golden Age, this intimate drawing reflects Bramer's career as a versatile Utrecht painter who traveled to Italy and absorbed Caravaggesque influences, favoring dramatic chiaroscuro and nocturnal scenes. Though small in scale at 11 15/16 x 14 3/16 inches, it draws viewers into a sacred, candlelit tableau rich with emotional tension and human ...