Abraham van den Tempel

Peter inquiring about a donkey for Christ

Abraham van den Tempel was the son of Lambert Jacobsz. a painter in Leeuwarden who initially instructed him together with other pupils, the somewhat older Jacob Backer and Govert Flinck. Today Van den Tempel is primarily known as a portraitist. Our work, Petrus inquiring about a donkey for Christ to ride into Jerusalem is the only known biblical painting by his hand as well as his earliest dated painting (1646). The only other history paintings by the artist are 3 large allegories painted for the Lakenhal in Leiden and still hanging there today.