Holy Family, 1613
Luis Tristánexpand_more
Oil on canvasexpand_more
The William Hood Dunwoody Fundexpand_more 74.2
On View in Gallery 341expand_more
With intense realism, and not-so-subtle symbolism, the Holy Family (Mary, Joseph, and Jesus) is caught in a very intimate moment. The young parents are cuddling their child, who for a moment stops suckling and stares at the beholder, heedless of the dove the father is showing him, which alludes to the Holy Spirit. The figures’ grave expressions anticipate the tragedy to come. In particular, the towel picked by Mary prefigures the shroud that will wrap her son after his death on the cross.
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Details
- Title
- Holy Family
- Artist Life
- 1586–1640
- Role
- Artist
- Accession Number
- 74.2
- Provenance
- Queen Maria Christina of Spain [1806' - d. 1878] by 1878. (Queen Maria Christina sale, Paris, France, April 16-22, 1879, lot 37). Contini-Bonacossi collection, Florence, Italy. (Stanley Moss and Co., Inc., New York, New York); purchased by MIA in 1974.
- Curator Approved
This record has been reviewed by our curatorial staff but may be incomplete. These records are frequently revised and enhanced. If you notice a mistake or have additional information about this object, please email collectionsdata@artsmia.org.
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