Artwork
Heilige Familie
Heilige Familie is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Hans Rottenhammer. It dates from 1598 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The composition presents the three figures as the main subject, embodying the traditional iconography of the domestic and spiritual unity of the Holy Family.
The painting depicts the Holy Family, a central subject in religious art, featuring the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Joseph. Created by Hans Rottenhammer in 1594, the work falls within the genre of religious art and focuses on this specific biblical grouping. The composition presents the three figures as the main subject, embodying the traditional iconography of the domestic and spiritual unity of the Holy Family.
As a religious painting housed in the Alte Pinakothek, the work represents the veneration of this sacred triad typical of Christian devotional imagery.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil on wood panel, a support typical for late Renaissance religious paintings. The composition depicts Mary, the infant Christ Child, and Joseph in a tender grouping, rendered with careful attention to drapery and spatial depth characteristic of Mannerist draftsmanship. The handling of light emphasizes subtle modelling of forms, while the stylistic treatment of gesture and facial expression conveys intimate devotion. These formal qualities reflect Rottenhammer's precise technique and his emphasis on harmonious arrangement within the sacred narrative.
History & Provenance
Hans Rottenhammer created the religious painting Holy Family in 1594. The work entered the Bavarian State Painting Collections and remains on display at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. Its dimensions are 31.4 cm in height and 23.7 cm in width.
Legacy
The Holy Family by Hans Rottenhammer, painted in 1594, has been part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections since its acquisition and remains on display at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. The work portrays the Virgin Mary, the infant Jesus, and Saint Joseph in a composition characteristic of Counter-Reformation devotional art. Its significance lies in exemplifying the stylistic transition from late Renaissance to Baroque sensibilities in German religious painting, influencing later interpretations of sacred domestic scenes.
Overview
Created in 1598 by the German artist Johann Rottenhammer, this modestly sized oil painting presents a tranquil domestic scene centered on the infant Jesus. The work is part of the Alte Pinakothek’s collection in Munich and exemplifies the early Baroque sensibility that was then developing in Italy, where Rottenhammer was active.
Artist & collection
Artist
Johann Rottenhammer, or Hans Rottenhammer (1564 – 14 August 1625), was a German painter. He specialized in highly finished paintings on a small scale.
- Die mystische Vermählung der hl. Katharina (Kopie nach)
Heilige Familie
The Flight into Egypt
Holy family with Young St John the Baptist and an angel
The Flight into Egypt
Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist as a Child
The Rest on the Flight into Egypt
The Holy Family with Saints
The Rest on the Fligth into Egypt
The Holy Family with Saints
Anbetung der Hirten
The Rest on the Fligth into Egypt