Artwork
The Holy Family
The Holy Family is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1754 and is held in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The painting depicts the Holy Family, a traditional religious subject in Christian art comprising the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Joseph.
The painting depicts the Holy Family, a traditional religious subject in Christian art comprising the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Joseph. According to the work's cataloguing, these three figures are explicitly identified as the depicted subjects, with the Holy Family itself named as the main subject. The genre is classified as religious art, consistent with the long-standing iconographic tradition of portraying the nuclear family of Jesus as a model of piety, devotion, and intimate domestic harmony.
The work is recorded as a painting made after Peter Paul Rubens, situating it within the visual tradition of Baroque devotional imagery of the Holy Family that Rubens helped define and popularize across Europe.
History & Provenance
Created in 1754, this religious painting is identified as a work executed after Peter Paul Rubens. The piece depicts the Holy Family, featuring Jesus Christ, Joseph, and Mary. It currently resides in the collection of the Statens Museum for Kunst, where it is held as part of the institution's holdings.
The work measures 27 cm in height and 30 cm in width. No further details regarding its specific commission, earlier ownership history, or creation circumstances are provided in the available records.
The Holy Family is held by Statens Museum for Kunst in Copenhagen, where it is part of the museum's collection. The work is recorded as a 1754 painting, classified as a religious painting. No accession or inventory number is provided in the available documentation, and the sources do not mention any dedicated exhibition history for the piece.
Its dimensions are listed as 27 cm by 30 cm, and it is described as a painting after Peter Paul Rubens. The museum's records indicate the work's main subject as the Holy Family, consisting of Jesus, Mary, and Joseph.
Overview
This painting, titled The Holy Family, depicts an intimate domestic scene centered around a mother, child, and father figure. The composition emphasizes a sense of quiet contemplation and tenderness among the subjects. Rendered with a focused simplicity, the artwork invites viewers into a moment of profound familial connection, characteristic of its devotional theme. It is currently housed at the Statens Museum for Kunst.
Technique & Style
The artist employs a palette of muted tones, which contributes to the painting's subdued and introspective mood. Soft illumination highlights the faces and forms of the figures, drawing the viewer's eye to their expressions and gestures. A dark, indistinct background further isolates the family group, intensifying the focus on their interaction and the emotional depth of the scene. This approach creates an overall impression of quiet solemnity.
Artist & collection
