Artwork
Christus bei Maria und Martha
Christus bei Maria und Martha is an unspecified painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Frans Francken III. It dates from 1637 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Its iconography underscores themes of hospitality, faith, and the preferential merit of attentive discipleship.
The painting shows Jesus Christ visiting the household of Martha and Mary, a biblical scene drawn from Luke 10:38‑42 that emphasizes contemplative devotion over active service. In this composition, Martha is depicted preparing a meal while Mary sits at Jesus’ feet, highlighting the contrast between practical labor and spiritual listening. The work belongs to the religious genre of the 17th‑century Flemish school and is housed in the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Its iconography underscores themes of hospitality, faith, and the preferential merit of attentive discipleship.
History & Provenance
Christus bei Maria und Martha is a small-scale religious panel by Frans Francken III, dated 1637. The painting entered the holdings of the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is now held at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich, where it remains on view as part of the museum's collection of early Netherlandish and Flemish cabinet pictures. The work, measuring 23.5 by 30.9 centimetres, depicts Jesus Christ at the home of Martha and Mary, a subject drawn from the Gospel of Luke that Francken III treated within the Antwerp tradition of small religious scenes.
No information regarding an original patron, commission, or intermediate ownership prior to its acquisition by the Bavarian State Painting Collections is documented in the available sources.
Christus bei Maria und Martha is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek. Its inventory number is not specified in the sources. The work was exhibited in Munich, as indicated by its presence in the Alte Pinakothek's collection and display context.
Overview
Frans Francken III, a fourth‑generation member of the Flemish Francken dynasty, painted Christus bei Maria und Martha in 1637. The work exemplifies the Flemish Baroque style and is part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection in Munich.
Technique & Style
Francken renders the figures with meticulous detail, employing chiaroscuro to model forms and create a sense of depth. The textures of fabric, fruit, and metal objects are portrayed with a realistic precision that underscores the Baroque interest in tangible, everyday materiality.
Artist & collection
Artist
Frans Francken III (1607–1667) was a Flemish Baroque painter and the best known member of the fourth generation of the Francken family of artists.
- Christus bei Maria und Martha (?)
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