The Holy Family
about 1507–1508
- Medium
- Oil on panel
- Dimensions
- 46 × 33.7 cm
- Status
- In Museum Collection
- Collect24 Art ID
- C24-137527
Elegance, sophistication, and worldliness define this portrayal of Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child. Embedded in a fantastic cityscape with an elaborate fountain, the half-hidden figure of Joseph draws the viewer's attention, as do the lilies symbolizing the Virgin's purity in the right foreground. Contemporary taste in Antwerp and Brussels, where this painting was probably made, demanded that nearly every inch of a picture be filled with activity or ornament and that it be as ornate and decorative as possible. Even Mary's headdress provided an opportunity for an eye-catching, energetic shape fluttering against the flowering vines. Jan Gossaert set the figures in an inventive complex of pseudo-antique architecture, indicating his general awareness of Italian styles, probably gained through prints from Italy, which often circulated in Northern Europe, rather than from actual experience.
Provenance
The J. Paul Getty Museum, Los Angeles
Registry history
- about 1507–1508 — Recorded in the collection of J. Paul Getty Museum
Registered on Collect24
The identity of the collector is never published. Purchase information, documents and the exact location of the artwork remain private.
Ownership not yet verified on Collect24
This artwork is documented in the Global Art Registry, but no Collect24 account is linked to it as the owner. Claiming keeps this record and its Collect24 Art ID — nothing is created a second time.
Do you own or represent this artwork? Claim this artwork →Auction history
Public sale records matched to this work. Ownership is never disclosed.
Loading sale records…