The Presentation of the Virgin

The Presentation of the Virgin from 1447 depicts the young Mary ascending the Temple steps, a subject drawn from apocryphal sources that was popular in Italian art. Giovanni di Paolo's rendering emphasizes the dramatic architecture of the temple and the small figure of the child Mary The Virgin Mary occupied a central place in late medieval and Renaissance piety, venerated as intercessor and Queen of Heaven, her image produced in countless devotional objects for public and private use.

The imposing temple staircase creates a strong diagonal that draws the eye to the small figure of the Virgin, with Giovanni di Paolo's fantastical architecture lending the scene an otherworldly grandeur.