Who painted The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels?

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels was painted by Aegidius Sadeler II in 1593.

Where can I see The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels?

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels is held by National Gallery of Art.

What movement is The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels?

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels is associated with Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels?

Museum-quality prints of The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.

Artwork

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels

Aegidius Sadeler II , 1593

The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels is an ink print by the Renaissance artist Aegidius Sadeler II. It dates from 1593 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.

Inscription: Inscribed:below image, in plate: Auctori rerum nascenti e Virgine passim / Laeta uvas, poma, et lilia fundit humus. / Nos animae viles cur huic non rite paramus / Mentem animumq[ue] pium, peraq[ue], corda, Deo?; below image, at right: F. Valerini; lower center, in plate below engraved inscription: S: C: M:tis pict Iohan ab Ach. pinxit Egidius Sadeler Scalps: Veron: / by later hand, lower cetner verso in graphite: Aegidius Sadeler(?) / geb. c. 1570 in Anvers(?) 1629--Prag / Thieme Becker 290

About this work

Overview

Around 1593, Flemish engraver Aegidius Sadeler II created an engraving on laid paper titled The Holy Family with Saint Anne and Two Angels. Executed for the court of Rudolf II in Prague, the print presents a religious tableau typical of late‑Renaissance devotional imagery.

Subject & Meaning

The composition shows the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Jesus, seated beside Saint Anne, his grandmother. Two angels flank the group: one gestures upward, the other holds a plant, while a basket of fruit rests nearby, suggesting themes of fertility and divine providence.

Technique & Style

Sadeler employed fine, sharply incised lines characteristic of engraving, rendering delicate details such as the baby’s rounded arm and the grapes in the basket. The precise hatching creates a sense of volume, giving the figures a three‑dimensional presence despite the monochrome medium.

History & Provenance

Working as both a reproductive and original printmaker, Sadeler produced this work during his tenure at the Habsburg court. The print circulated among collectors of religious imagery in Central Europe, reflecting the patronage of Rudolf II, a notable supporter of Northern Mannerist art.

Context

The image aligns with the Counter‑Reformation’s emphasis on intimate, accessible depictions of holy families. By integrating saints, angels, and symbolic fruit, Sadeler’s print resonated with contemporary devotional practices and the visual language of late‑Renaissance spirituality.

The Holy Family and Two Angels, Lucas Kilian

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Artist & collection

Artist

Aegidius Sadeler II

Aegidius Sadeler or Aegidius Sadeler II (1570–1629) was a Flemish engraver who was principally active at the Prague court of Rudolf II, Holy Roman Emperor and his successors.