Who painted The Holy Family?

The Holy Family was painted by Hendrick Goltzius in 1585.

Where can I see The Holy Family?

The Holy Family is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Holy Family?

The Holy Family is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Holy Family?

Museum-quality prints of The Holy Family are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Holy Family

Hendrick Goltzius , 1585

The Holy Family is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Hendrick Goltzius. It dates from 1585 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:lower left in plate: B.Spranger Invent..; lower right in plate: HGoltzius Scup.. et excu.. Ao 1585.; across bottom in plate: Infans ille pice qui pendet ab ubere Matris, / Est Deus, in terras ce lso demissus olympo.; by later hand, lower center verso in graphite, : Heilige Familie / B 274 / Hirschmann 318 I; lower left verso: B 274

About this work

Overview

Hendrick Goltzius, a German‑born artist who worked in the Netherlands, produced the engraving The Holy Family in 1585. Executed on laid paper, the print presents a domestic scene of a woman holding an infant, accompanied by an older male figure, set within a modest interior that includes a window and a hanging curtain.

Subject & Meaning

The composition depicts a mother cradling a child who clutches a small bundle of fruit, while an elder man leans toward them, suggesting a familial or devotional relationship. The inclusion of fruit may allude to themes of nourishment or the Eucharist, common in late‑sixteenth‑century religious imagery.

Technique & Style

Goltzius employs the fine, intersecting lines characteristic of engraving to model the drapery, facial features, and background architecture. Subtle cross‑hatching creates a gradation of tone, giving depth to the folds of the robes and the receding landscape visible through the window, reflecting the Northern Mannerist attention to intricate detail.

History & Provenance

Created during a prolific period for Goltzius, the work belongs to his early Baroque output when he was establishing his reputation as the foremost Dutch engraver. The print was likely circulated among collectors of devotional images and contributed to his growing fame across Europe.

Context

The engraving emerges from a time when religious subjects were frequently rendered for private contemplation, especially in the Protestant‑dominant Dutch Republic. Goltzius’s skillful handling of line allowed him to produce complex, narrative prints that could be reproduced and disseminated widely.

Legacy

The Holy Family exemplifies Goltzius’s command of the engraving medium and his influence on subsequent Netherlandish printmakers. The work continues to be studied for its technical brilliance and its role in the visual culture of late sixteenth‑century religious art.

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Artist & collection

Artist

Hendrick Goltzius

Hendrick Goltzius (German: , Dutch: ; né Goltz; January or February 1558 – 1 January 1617) was a German-born Dutch printmaker, draftsman, and painter.