Who painted The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim?

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim was painted by Hans Burgkmair I in 1512.

Where can I see The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim?

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim?

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim?

Museum-quality prints of The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim

Hans Burgkmair I , 1512

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hans Burgkmair I. It dates from 1512 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

About this work

Overview

As a print, this work was designed for mass production, allowing the religious narrative to reach a broader audience beyond the confines of a single painting.

Created in 1512, Hans Burgkmair I's woodcut The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Saint Joachim depicts the genealogical roots of Christ, uniting the infant Jesus with his mother Mary, father Joseph, and maternal grandparents Anne and Joachim. The composition arranges the five figures in a tight, pyramidal group, emphasizing familial intimacy and generational continuity. Burgkmair utilizes the woodcut medium to render complex drapery with fluid, rhythmic lines, showcasing his mastery of the technique during the German Renaissance.

The soft folds of the garments and the interlocking poses create a sense of unity and stability within the frame. As a print, this work was designed for mass production, allowing the religious narrative to reach a broader audience beyond the confines of a single painting. This piece reflects Burgkmair's significant contribution to the development of the woodcut as a high art form, bridging the gap between graphic design and fine art.

It stands as a representative example of his mature style, characterized by clear outlines and a balanced arrangement of figures that conveys both spiritual reverence and human warmth.

Subject & Meaning

The composition brings together the central figures of Christian salvation, Mary, Joseph, and the newborn Jesus, with the grandparents, Saint Anne and Saint Joachim, emphasizing the sanctified lineage of Christ. Their close arrangement underscores familial bonds and the theological notion of a holy household rooted in generations of faith.

Technique & Style

Burgkmair employed the traditional woodcut process, carving the design into a single wood block and leaving the negative spaces uncut to remain white on the final image. Ink was rolled onto the raised surfaces and transferred to laid paper, allowing for multiple, consistent impressions. The line work is characterized by fine, flowing contours that convey the softness of the drapery.

History & Provenance

Created in the early sixteenth century, the print reflects the flourishing of devotional imagery in Northern Europe. As a reproducible medium, the woodcut could be disseminated widely, serving both private devotion and public instruction. Surviving copies are held in several European collections, attesting to its circulation among patrons of religious art.

Context

The work belongs to a period when printmaking expanded the reach of religious narratives beyond painted altarpieces. Burgkmair, a leading figure in the German Renaissance, integrated emerging humanist sensibilities with traditional iconography, offering viewers a more personal, approachable vision of the Holy Family.