Frankfurt Dominican Altarpiece: The Cleansing of the Temple

Hans Holbein the Elder painted the Cleansing of the Temple for the Frankfurt Dominican Altarpiece around 1501. Christ driving the money-changers from the Temple was one of his most dramatic public acts. The scene's righteous anger provided a rare opportunity to depict Christ in vigorous physical action. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Oil on panel with dynamic action scene showing Christ overturning tables and scattering merchants. Holbein's composition captures the chaotic energy of the scene within a carefully constructed architectural setting.