Artwork
Hl. Anna mit Joachim und Maria
Hl. Anna mit Joachim und Maria is an unspecified painting by the High Baroque Italian artist Francesco Solimena. It dates from 1702 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created by Francesco Solimena in 1702, this religious painting depicts the Holy Family's matriarchal lineage.
Created by Francesco Solimena in 1702, this religious painting depicts the Holy Family's matriarchal lineage. The composition features Saint Anne, her husband Joachim, and their daughter, the Virgin Mary. As a work of religious art, the subject matter focuses on the genealogy and sanctity of these three figures, illustrating the lineage that leads to the birth of Jesus.
The inclusion of Joachim alongside Anne and Mary highlights the familial context central to the narrative of the Immaculate Conception and the preparation for the Incarnation.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil on canvas, measuring 80 cm in height and 61 cm in width. It depicts Saint Anne with Joachim and Mary in a devotional composition characteristic of early 18th‑century religious painting. The handling of light and drapery reflects Solimena's Baroque style, while the formal arrangement emphasizes the sacred narrative.
History & Provenance
The work titled Hl. Anna mit Joachim und Maria was painted in 1702 by Francesco Solimena. It entered the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is presently housed in the Alte Pinakothek. The painting portrays Saint Joachim, Saint Anne, and the Virgin Mary as its principal figures.
Hl. Anna mit Joachim und Maria, painted by Francesco Solimena in 1702, is held in the Alte Pinakothek in Munich as part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections. The work is catalogued within that state collection, and its physical dimensions are recorded as 80 cm in height and 61 cm in width.
No exhibition history beyond its placement in the Bavarian State Painting Collections is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Francesco Solimena’s 1702 oil painting Hl. Anna mit Joachim und Maria presents a compact group of three biblical figures rendered in subdued illumination. The composition centers on an elderly woman, Saint Anne, leaning back with her head covered, while a younger woman, the Virgin Mary, holds an open book. A male figure, Joachim, is partially concealed in shadow behind them, creating a quiet, introspective scene.
Context
At the turn of the 18th century, Neapolitan art was marked by a synthesis of dramatic lighting and dynamic composition, traits that Solimena inherited from his mentors Giordano and Preti. This painting exemplifies the period’s devotional imagery, intended for private contemplation rather than grand altar settings, and illustrates the continued relevance of saintly intercessors in Catholic visual culture.
Artist & collection
Artist
Francesco Solimena (4 October 1657 – 3 April 1747) was a prolific Italian Baroque painter, one of an established family of painters and draughtsmen.
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