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The Holy Family
ca. 1620
Artwork Viewer
The youthful Virgin Mary wraps her arms around the infant Christ as her husband, Saint Joseph, and mother, Saint Anne, lean intimately over them. Using broad brushstrokes and warm colors, Jacob Jordaens painted realistic figures that seem to meet the viewer’s gaze. Their vivacity contrasts with the scene’s somber message: Christ’s flower wreath prefigures the crown of thorns he will be forced to wear at his Crucifixion, represented by the crucifix dangling from the rosary in his hands. Moreover, the grapes held by the angel symbolize the sacrificial blood of Christ, venerated in Catholic ritual in the form of wine.
- Artist
- Jacob Jordaens (1593-1678)
- Title
- The Holy Family
- Date
- ca. 1620
- Object Type
- Painting
- Medium
- Oil on wood panel
- Dimensions
- 48 7/8 x 36 1/8 in. (124.143 x 91.758 cm) Framed: 62 1/4 x 51 1/8 in. (158.115 x 129.858 cm)
- Credit Line
- Gift of Mr. Samuel H. Kress
- Accession Number
- 55279