The Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and Saint John the Baptist
Original title: The Holy Family with Saint Elizabeth and Saint John the Baptist
kurzbeschreibung
Robert Brichet made this etching around 1780, presenting the Holy Family together with Saint Elizabeth and John the Baptist. Working in etching and engraving, he captured a familiar biblical encounter on a small scale.
Description
Mary sits at the front with the Christ child on her lap, and the bearded Joseph stands beside her. Elizabeth appears at the left in the background, while John the Baptist can be made out as a child on the right. A basket holding scraps of cloth rests in the foreground. The figures' garments follow traditional forms recalling the Renaissance, and everything is arranged symmetrically around Mary.
Context
Robert Brichet was an eighteenth-century French engraver who built his reputation mainly on reproductions after paintings. The Holy Family with Elizabeth and John ranked among the common subjects of Catholic art of the period, which emphasized the closeness of the two families. This small print likely served as a devotional image for private use.
Impact
A calm, symmetrical arrangement and careful linework give the figures a dignified seriousness. Muted light from the front creates an intimate, contemplative mood that invites the viewer to devotion.
Technique
Etching and engraving are combined here, yielding fine details and soft transitions. In this monochrome print, hatching and stippling build depth and give the figures bodily presence.
AI-generated description text
Source: Metropolitan Museum of Art · Public Domain (CC0 1.0)