Flemish school; 17th century.

Flemish school; 17th century.
"Jesus among the doctors".
Oil on copper.
Measurements: 65 x 82 cm; 82 x 99 cm (frame).
In this work we see the episode of the discussion of Jesus with the doctors. The figures trace an ascending rhythm, starting from the lower right corner and turning until they reach the figure of Jesus in the upper part of the scene. The figure of Christ is further enhanced by the architectural background itself, which adds monumentality to the image.
This theme is based on a passage from the Gospel of Luke, where the presence of the young Jesus among the theologians or doctors of the Mosaic Law is related. The text narrates that Jesus, being twelve years old, got lost in Jerusalem, where he had gone with his parents on the occasion of the Jewish Passover. He then went to the Temple, where he spent a long time listening and questioning the doctors, who were amazed at his theological knowledge. It took Mary and Joseph three days to find him, and when they did, Mary expressed her concern and Jesus answered her with these words: "Why were you looking for me, did you not know that I must be about my Father's business? This is the last of the accounts of Jesus' childhood, and the only time he does not show himself obedient to his parents. In the Catholic interpretation, these three days that Jesus remains separated from Mary are taken as a sign of the future Redemption through the sacrifice on the cross.