Artwork
The Holy Family
The Holy Family is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Godfried Schalcken. It dates from 1690 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Painted in 1679, this work by Godfried Schalcken illustrates the Holy Family, a central subject in religious art.
Painted in 1679, this work by Godfried Schalcken illustrates the Holy Family, a central subject in religious art. The composition features the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Joseph as its primary figures. By focusing on these three individuals, the painting adheres to traditional iconography that emphasizes the domestic unity and sanctity of Jesus's immediate family.
The depiction serves as a visual representation of the biblical narrative concerning the upbringing of Christ, highlighting the roles of his parents within a devotional context.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1679, this religious painting by Godfried Schalcken utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 164 cm in height and 110 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the Holy Family, depicting the figures of Mary, the Christ Child, and Joseph within a devotional context characteristic of the genre.
History & Provenance
Godfried Schalcken executed The Holy Family in 1679. Created as a religious work, the painting utilizes oil paint on canvas as its medium. The composition depicts the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Joseph. Today, the artwork is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it remains located.
The work is held by the Statens Museum for Kunst, Copenhagen, where it is recorded as an oil painting on canvas by Godfried Schalcken dated 1679.
Its exhibition history includes display at the Statens Museum for Kunst as part of the museum’s holdings of seventeenth-century Dutch and Flemish paintings.
Overview
Created in 1690, this oil painting by Dutch artist Godfried Schalcken portrays the Holy Family within a modest interior. The composition centers on a candle‑lit scene where Mary holds the infant Jesus, while Joseph stands nearby. The work belongs to the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen.
Context
The work reflects the Dutch Golden Age’s interest in genre scenes that blend everyday realism with religious narrative. Schalcken, renowned for candlelit interiors, applied his skill in rendering light to a devotional subject, aligning with contemporary tastes for intimate, morally instructive imagery.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Godfried Schalcken (8 October 1643 – 16 November 1706) was a Dutch artist who specialized in genre paintings and portraits.
- The Holy Family
The Holy Family
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