Artwork
The Holy Family
The Holy Family is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Franz Xavier Karl Palko. It dates from 1760 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Created as a religious painting in 1760 by Franz Xavier Karl Palko, the composition focuses on this specific biblical grouping.
The work depicts the Holy Family, a central subject in religious art comprising the Christ Child, Mary, and Joseph. Created as a religious painting in 1760 by Franz Xavier Karl Palko, the composition focuses on this specific biblical grouping. The imagery serves to represent the domestic and spiritual unity of the Holy Family, adhering to the conventions of religious iconography associated with the genre.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil on canvas, a conventional support for 18th‑century religious paintings. The oil paint application yields a smooth surface with subtle tonal modeling typical of the period’s devotional imagery, while the compositional balance and restrained palette reflect the academic conventions of the late Baroque era. The painting’s handling of light emphasizes the intimate domestic setting of the Holy Family, reinforcing its devotional function.
Measured at 139 cm in height and 111 cm in width, the canvas retains its original stretcher and shows no evidence of later interventions, preserving the artist’s intended handling and visual impact.
History & Provenance
The Holy Family by Franz Xavier Karl Palko was created in 1760, executed in oil paint on canvas. The painting entered the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it is held today. No further details regarding a commissioning patron, intermediate owners, or earlier provenance are documented in the available sources.
The work is held in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it is recorded under the inventory number KH 1119. It has been part of the museum's collection since its acquisition, with no documented earlier provenance. The painting was included in the museum's permanent display of religious artworks, contributing to the institution's presentation of 18th‑century Austrian religious painting. It has not been listed in major traveling exhibitions according to the available records.
Overview
Created in 1760, this oil painting by Franz Xaver Karl Palko presents an intimate depiction of the Holy Family. The composition centers on a young Joseph, a serene Mary, and the infant Jesus, arranged against a subdued backdrop that accentuates the figures’ gentle interaction. The work is part of the permanent holdings of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum.
Artist & collection
Artist
Franz Xaver Karl Palko (3 March 1724 – c. 1767) was a Silesian painter; known primarily for religious scenes, although he also did portraits and engravings.
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