← Lucas Vorsterman I

The Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and John the Baptist as a Child (1620, Met-Objekt 1070)

Original title: The Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and John the Baptist as a Child

Artist

Lucas Vorsterman I

Date

1620

Medium

Engraving; third state of five (Hollstein)

Dimensions

Sheet (Trimmed): 10 1/2 × 7 15/16 in. (26.7 × 20.2 cm)

Credit line

Gift of Georgiana W. Sargent, in memory of John Osborne Sargent, 1924

kurzbeschreibung

Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child appear here alongside Elizabeth and the young John the Baptist. Lucas Vorsterman I made this engraving in 1620. The print survives in the third of five states.

Description

Clear axes structure the layout: Mary enthroned at the center holds the Child, while bearded Joseph stands at her side. In front, John the Baptist kneels, and Elizabeth appears toward the rear. An interior with columns and a window frames the group. The garments follow traditional forms; light falls evenly across the surfaces.

Context

Vorsterman, a Fleming, worked closely with Peter Paul Rubens. The engraving was made in 1620 in Antwerp, when religious printmaking was widespread. Devotional images of this kind served private piety and were valued by collectors.

Impact

The linework remains clear, the figures calmly and evenly placed. Because light enters uniformly, a peaceful, prayerful mood arises that invites lingering and reflection.

Technique

Executed as an engraving, delicate lines and hatching define contours and textures. This allows details to be rendered precisely and tonal values in subtle gradations.

AI-generated description text

Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)