Jesus and the Rich Young Man

Giorgione: The Encounter of Jesus with the Rich Young Man

Giorgione depicts the biblical story of the rich young man, depicted in the center and identified by his golden lapel and fine clothing, who approached Jesus and asked how he could attain eternal life. Jesus, attired in a green priestly garment, tells him to keep the commandments to which He is pointing. To the left we see the traditional figure of St. Peter, the only other person named in this incident. Peter is dressed in red, the color reserved for the martyrs in the Church liturgy. He acts as an interlocutor who looks out and directs the viewer’s attention to what is going on. According to the biblical account the young man went away sad because he had many possessions.

This painting by Giorgione (1477-1510), one of the great painters of the Venetian Renaissance is in the Pitti Palace in Florence. It is labelled the "Three Ages of Man" but its true subject has eluded scholars for centuries. 

For my complete essay on the painting see MyGiorgione, my art history website.