Artwork
Holy Family with Saint Anne
Holy Family with Saint Anne is an oil painting. It dates from 1700 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Such compositions typically serve as expressions of familial piety and theological reflection on Christ's incarnation and ancestry.
The painting presents a devotional gathering of the Holy Family with Saint Anne, a traditional subject in Christian religious art. The work depicts the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, Saint Joseph, and Saint Anne, Mary's mother, whose inclusion extends the sacred lineage across generations and emphasizes the maternal heritage of Christ. Such compositions typically serve as expressions of familial piety and theological reflection on Christ's incarnation and ancestry.
Classified as religious art and executed in oil on canvas, the painting belongs to a long iconographic tradition of multi-figure sacred groupings intended for devotional viewing, presenting the viewer with a unified vision of the holy kinship surrounding the young Jesus.
History & Provenance
The oil-on-canvas painting titled Holy Family with Saint Anne, created circa 1700 by an anonymous French artist, is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art. The work measures 68.6 cm in height and 50.8 cm in width. While the specific inventory or accession number is not provided in the available records, the piece is catalogued as a religious work depicting the Holy Family, including Saint Anne, Joseph, Mary, and the infant Jesus.
The source material confirms the museum as the current location but does not detail any specific past or present exhibitions of this particular artwork.
Overview
The painting titled "Holy Family with Saint Anne" is an oil on canvas depicting a sacred domestic scene. It features four figures arranged within a dimly lit setting: a woman holding an infant, an older woman, a bearded man, and another child observing the group. The composition focuses on these individuals, whose arrangement and expressions convey a sense of familial connection and spiritual contemplation.
Technique & Style
The artist utilizes a pronounced contrast between light and shadow to shape the forms and establish the mood of the artwork. A soft, radiant light illuminates the central woman's face, making her stand out against the deep background. This dramatic application of chiaroscuro not only creates a sense of depth and volume but also heightens the emotional intensity of the depicted moment, drawing the viewer's eye to key elements.
Artist & collection
