Artwork
The Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and Saint John
The Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and Saint John is an oil painting by the Flemish Baroque painting artist Peter Paul Rubens. It dates from 1615 and is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows the Holy Family, Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, with the young John the Baptist and his mother Saint Elizabeth.
The painting shows the Holy Family, Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, with the young John the Baptist and his mother Saint Elizabeth. The composition emphasizes the familial bonds and the recognition of Christ's divinity, as John the Baptist gestures toward Jesus, symbolizing his role as precursor. Saint Anne, Mary's mother, is also present, reinforcing the lineage and continuity of the sacred family. This iconography reflects Counter-Reformation themes of domestic holiness and the intergenerational transmission of faith.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas in 1615, the work measures 114.5 cm in height by 91.5 cm in width. Rubens employs a fluid handling of paint to build up luminous flesh tones and silken drapery, while cooler passages in the background use thinner, more transparent layers to create atmospheric recession. The composition is organized through a diagonal axis that guides the eye from the Virgin and Child at left toward Saint Elizabeth and the young Baptist at right, with Saint Joseph positioned in the middle ground.
Warm, saturated hues in the foreground contrast with cooler, muted tones in the distance, reinforcing a sense of depth and volume.
History & Provenance
The work was painted in 1615 for Antoine Poullain, who is recorded as its first owner. It entered the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago and has remained in that institution's custody since acquiring the piece.
The painting measures 114.5 cm in height and 91.5 cm in width, and it is executed in oil on canvas. Its subject depicts the Holy Family together with Saint Elizabeth, Saint John, and other figures associated with the narrative of the Holy Family.
The work has been part of the Art Institute of Chicago's collection continuously since its acquisition, maintaining provenance that traces back to its original patron, Poullain.
The painting is held in the collection of the Art Institute of Chicago. According to the Wikidata record, it was formerly owned by Antoine Poullain before entering the museum's holdings. No accession number or specific exhibition history is documented in the available sources.
Overview
Peter Paul Rubens painted The Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and Saint John in 1615 using oil on canvas. Executed in the Flemish Baroque idiom, the work combines vigorous movement with a warm, luminous palette. It is part of the permanent collection of the Art Institute of Chicago, where it is displayed among the museum’s European paintings.
Context
Created during Rubens’ mature period, the work exemplifies the Flemish Baroque’s emphasis on dynamic groupings and emotional immediacy. It aligns with Counter‑Reformation goals of making sacred subjects accessible and moving, using vivid coloration and naturalistic detail to engage viewers in the narrative of the Holy Family.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Sir Peter Paul Rubens ( ROO-bənz; Dutch:; 28 June 1577 – 30 May 1640) was a Flemish artist and diplomat.
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