Who painted The Holy Family and St John?

The Holy Family and St John was painted by Innocenzo di Pietro Francucci da Imola in 1529.

Where can I see The Holy Family and St John?

The Holy Family and St John is held by Statens Museum for Kunst.

What movement is The Holy Family and St John?

The Holy Family and St John is associated with Mannerism.

Artwork

The Holy Family and St John

Innocenzo di Pietro Francucci da Imola , 1529

The Holy Family and St John is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Innocenzo di Pietro Francucci da Imola. It dates from 1529 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

Created in 1529 by Innocenzo di Pietro Francucci da Imola, this religious painting illustrates the Holy Family accompanied by the Child Saint John.

Created in 1529 by Innocenzo di Pietro Francucci da Imola, this religious painting illustrates the Holy Family accompanied by the Child Saint John. The work's iconography centers on the depiction of the young John the Baptist alongside Jesus and his parents, a grouping that emphasizes the familial bond between the two future religious figures. As a piece of devotional art, the composition serves to represent the sacred narrative of Christ's early life and his connection to his cousin, John, who is traditionally identified as his forerunner.

History & Provenance

The painting known as The Holy Family and St John was created in 1529 by the Italian artist Innocenzo di Pietro Francucci da Imola. This religious work, which depicts the Child Saint John alongside the Holy Family, is currently held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst. The inception of the piece is specifically dated to the beginning of 1529.

No further details regarding its original commission, early ownership history, or specific path to the museum are provided in the available records.

Overview

Innocenzo da Imola’s 1529 oil painting The Holy Family and St John presents a compact grouping of the Virgin Mary, infant Christ, Saint Joseph, and a youthful Saint John the Baptist. Rendered in the subdued lighting typical of early Mannerist religious works, the composition draws the viewer’s focus to the intimate interaction of the four figures, which are set against an unadorned background.

Technique & Style

Da Imola employs a restrained chiaroscuro, allowing soft shadows to model the faces and suggest volume without dramatic contrast. The muted palette and careful handling of light create a calm atmosphere, while the elongated proportions and slightly artificial spatial arrangement reflect the stylistic experimentation characteristic of mid‑16th‑century Mannerism.

Context

Innocenzo da Imola, active in Bologna during the early to mid‑1500s, worked within a tradition that blended the High Renaissance’s balanced composition with the emerging Mannerist tendency toward complexity and elegance. This painting exemplifies his synthesis of devotional content with the period’s evolving visual language.