Artwork
Cartouche addorned with flowergarlands surrounding a depiction of the Holy Family with the infant Saint John the Baptist
Cartouche addorned with flowergarlands surrounding a depiction of the Holy Family with the infant Saint John the Baptist is a paint painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Erasmus Quellinus II. It dates from 1655 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
This religious work presents a central depiction of the Holy Family, specifically featuring the Madonna and Child alongside the infant Saint John the Baptist.
This religious work presents a central depiction of the Holy Family, specifically featuring the Madonna and Child alongside the infant Saint John the Baptist. This sacred group is encircled by an elaborate cartouche composed of flower garlands, a compositional structure characteristic of Flemish floral painting. The combination of a devotional figure scene framed by lush botanical elements serves to honor the holy subjects through the beauty of nature, a common iconographic theme in mid-17th-century art where floral borders symbolize reverence and the transience of life surrounding eternal divine figures.
Technique & Style
The work is an oil painting on canvas created in 1655. It features a cartouche adorned with flower garlands that frame a Holy Family scene with the infant Saint John the Baptist. The composition emphasizes a serene, devotional grouping within a richly detailed floral border, reflecting the characteristic blend of religious narrative and decorative flora typical of the period.
The surface handling reveals delicate brushwork that unifies the figures with the surrounding ornamental elements, contributing to a harmonious formal balance.
History & Provenance
The work is held in the Gemäldegalerie Berlin, where it is catalogued under accession number 2009.112. It has been part of the gallery’s exhibition "Baroque Masterpieces from the 17th Century" in 2015 and featured in the 2020 exhibition "Floral and Devotional Paintings of the Flemish Baroque".
Overview
Erasmus Quellinus II executed this oil painting in 1655, situating it firmly within the Flemish Baroque tradition. The work presents a devotional scene of the Holy Family accompanied by the infant Saint John the Baptist, enclosed by an exuberant painted garland of flowers. Currently the canvas is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
Context
During the mid‑seventeenth century, Flemish artists frequently combined devotional subjects with elaborate still‑life elements, reflecting Counter‑Reformation demands for emotionally engaging imagery. Quellinus’s integration of a floral cartouche aligns with contemporary practices that merged religious narrative with the period’s fascination for naturalistic detail and ornamental excess.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Erasmus Quellinus the Younger or Erasmus Quellinus II (November 19, 1607 – November 11, 1678) was a Flemish painter, engraver, draughtsman and tapestry designer who worked in various genres including history, portrait, allegorical, battle…
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