Die Heilige Familie mit Elisabeth und dem Johannesknaben 1640

Curator: There's a beautiful, ethereal quality to this drawing. It's all soft lines and hazy forms—makes me feel like I'm peering into a dream. Editor: This is "Die Heilige Familie mit Elisabeth und dem Johannesknaben," or "The Holy Family with Elizabeth and the Young John the Baptist," a work on paper with ink and charcoal by Jacob Jordaens, created around 1640. It's interesting because, unlike his finished paintings, this offers insight into his artistic process. Curator: You can see him searching for the light, for the right pose, with such a free hand. And what strikes me is its intimacy. These are supposed to be religious figures, yet they feel like anyone’s family—comfortable, familiar. Is he consciously stripping away the divine or...? Editor: Perhaps, or rather translating it into more accessible terms for his patrons. The Baroque period saw the Church seeking to engage the masses, and domestic scenes like these allowed for greater relatability. Also, notice the architectural sketches above? It suggests this sheet may have served multiple purposes within Jordaens’ workshop. He might be working through concepts for a larger project, maybe even incorporating some figures into a decorative scheme later on. Curator: It almost feels like the spiritual becomes intertwined with the everyday in this piece— a design for a door or building right next to a religious scene... And it also begs the question of influence, and inspiration from his master Peter Paul Rubens... Editor: Absolutely, and that interweaving is part of the point. By placing them together on the same sheet, Jordaens blurs the lines. What's really intriguing is to think about how studios functioned then. This drawing might've been handled by assistants, students... It’s a document of a whole creative environment, not just one person's genius. Curator: Absolutely, and thank goodness he didn't throw this away because he had great handwriting next to one of the figures. Editor: Jordaens was a major figure in Antwerp, bridging the grand style of the Baroque with more everyday, relatable imagery. The real treasure here lies in understanding the labor and collaborative work lying underneath any grand presentation. Curator: I love that we can look past the grand canvas and the shiny gilded frames into an intimate moment with the artist and maybe some assistants... I'm forever captivated by process. Editor: It certainly adds another layer to how we think about artistic creation in the 17th century and about this time and style!