Young Jesus in the Temple
François-Raoul Larche chose to portray Jesus Christ as a twelve-year-old boy in this sculptural bust, referring to a biblical passage in which the young Jesus speaks at length with elders at the temple in Jerusalem. As a sculptor, Larche specialized in creating figural sculptures primarily as decorative objects for the home as opposed to public monuments. This composition proved to be Larche’s most popular work, and it was reproduced in various sizes in both porcelain and bronze. The work became well-known after a plaster version was exhibited in 1893 at the World’s Columbian Exposition in Chicago, a world’s fair visited by 27 million people over a six-month period. Photo from Zimmerli Art Museum, New Brunswick, New Jersey, 2026.