Artwork
The holy family at night
The holy family at night is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Rembrandt van Rijn. It dates from 1645 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting shows the Holy Family, Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, arranged in a quiet interior illuminated by a window.
The painting shows the Holy Family, Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, arranged in a quiet interior illuminated by a window. Alongside the figures the artist includes a book and a wheel, elements that appear in the composition as part of the scene. The work belongs to the religious genre and was created in 1645 using oil on panel, now held by the Rijksmuseum.
Its depiction emphasizes domestic holiness and spiritual presence within everyday life, using the nocturnal setting and symbolic objects to convey a sense of divine light and contemplation.
Technique & Style
The Holy Family at Night is an oil painting executed on panel, a support typical of Rembrandt's smaller-scale religious works of the mid-1640s. The composition measures 66.5 cm in height by 78 cm in width. The medium and support are documented as oil paint applied to a wooden panel.
Stylistically, the work belongs to Rembrandt's religious genre and centers on the Holy Family as its main subject, with a window, a book, and a wheel incorporated into the scene. The interplay of light and shadow, suggested by the nocturnal setting and the depicted window, points to Rembrandt's characteristic handling of illumination, in which a concentrated light source models the figures and objects against a darkened interior.
History & Provenance
The Holy Family at Night is an oil painting on panel created by Rembrandt Harmensz. van Rijn in 1645. The work measures 66.5 cm in height and 78 cm in width. It currently resides in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it is cataloged as a religious artwork depicting the Holy Family alongside a window, a book, and a wheel.
No specific details regarding the original commission, patron, or the chain of ownership prior to its museum acquisition are provided in the available records.
Overview
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn completed The Holy Family at Night in 1645, an oil painting that exemplifies his approach to religious subjects. This work portrays a tender, intimate moment of the Holy Family, featuring Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus within a humble domestic setting. It reflects the artist's characteristic use of light and shadow to evoke a profound sense of quiet contemplation and human connection.
Context
As a prominent artist of the Dutch Golden Age, Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn was renowned for his prolific output across various media, including painting, printmaking, and drawing. The Holy Family at Night showcases his ability to infuse traditional religious narratives with a profound sense of human emotion and realism, a hallmark of his contribution to 17th-century European art. The work is currently housed in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Rembrandt Harmenszoon van Rijn, known mononymously as Rembrandt, was a Dutch Golden Age painter, printmaker, and draughtsman.
