The Holy Family c. 1665 - 1670

Godfried Schalcken painted this oil on panel, “The Holy Family,” in the Dutch Republic during the late 17th or early 18th century. The image depicts the Virgin Mary holding the infant Jesus, whilst Joseph is lurking behind. The devotional subject was popular during the Counter-Reformation, but the treatment here is far from traditional. Schalcken's painting doesn't depict a divine event but a tranquil domestic scene, the intimacy of which is enhanced by the dim light. It domesticates the Holy Family, and encourages viewers to identify with them. The Dutch Republic was a Protestant nation, so Schalcken likely produced this work for a private Catholic patron. The painting demonstrates how artists working in the Dutch Golden Age navigated a complex art market, producing different kinds of works for different audiences. By studying patronage records and private archives we can learn more about how such images were produced and consumed.