Holy Family with the Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine
Tommaso d’Antonio Manzuoli, called Maso da San Friano
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Tommaso d’Antonio Manzuoli, called Maso da San Friano
1560
unspecified
From the collection of Cleveland Museum of Art
Holy Family with the Mystic Marriage of Saint Catherine is a 1560 unspecified by Tommaso d’Antonio Manzuoli, called Maso da San Friano, a Mannerism work, held at Cleveland Museum of Art.
You see Mary holding baby Jesus while he slips a ring onto the finger of a young woman in a pink dress. Behind them, an older man—Joseph—watches quietly. Everyone floats in soft light against a dark background. The ring is part of a "mystic marriage," a vision where Catherine of Alexandria promised herself to God instead of a human husband. Notice how the women and children look smooth and perfect, while Joseph’s face has wrinkles and shadows—maybe modeled after someone the artist knew. Look up *sfumato* to see how other painters blurred edges for the same dreamy glow.
The marriage shown in this painting is called “mystic” because it was a purely symbolic. The infant Jesus places a ring on the finger of Catherine of Alexandria, a fourth-century saint who had a vision of dedicating herself to God and remaining a virgin instead of marrying. Note the otherworldly quality of the women and children’s elegant faces, compared to the naturalism of elderly Saint Joseph, who may be a likeness of someone the artist knew.
Saint Catherine is usually shown with a spiked wheel; here, it is barely visible below her hand.
Read the full account in the museum source.
Tommaso d’Antonio Manzuoli, called Maso da San Friano (1531–1571) was an Italian artist.
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