Holy Family and Two Music-Making Angels 1583 - 1593

Jan Muller created this engraving, Holy Family and Two Music-Making Angels, around the turn of the 17th century. The print depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, Joseph, and two angels, one singing from a book and another playing the lute. The image suggests a tension between domesticity and the divine. Mary is presented as a nurturing mother, while also being part of a celestial scene with angels making music, indicative of her holy status. Muller was working in an era where the role of women was often confined to the domestic sphere. How does this representation of the Virgin challenge or reinforce gender roles? Consider the emotional depth in the figures' expressions, from Joseph's weariness to Mary's loving gaze. Through the use of music, Muller elevates an intimate, personal moment to one of spiritual significance, asking us to reflect on the sacred within the everyday.