Christ Disputing with the Doctors

1654

Gesturing excitedly and hardly able to sit still, the twelve-year old Jesus disputes with the Doctors in the Temple. The wise old men listen attentively and their astonishment at such youthful wisdom is clear to read from their attitude and facial expressions. Rembrandt kept the composition light by using shadow sparsely and indicating the background with little more than a few rough contour lines.