The Holy Family c. 1495 - 1500

This oil on wood panel, known as "The Holy Family", was created by an anonymous artist, and is now held in the Städel Museum. We can consider this artwork as a product of its particular time and place. It likely comes from the early 16th-century, given the setting and the clothing depicted. Although we don't know the origins of the artist, the painting gives us a glimpse into the religious beliefs of the time, when art was commissioned by wealthy patrons or the church to teach bible stories. The presence of the bowl of porridge suggests an intimate and domestic scene, humanizing the Holy Family, which would have been in line with religious reforms at the time. Analyzing the historical context of a work like this involves detective work: tracing the painting’s provenance; studying patronage networks; and researching the cultural meanings attached to the image of the holy family. Understanding the image requires placing it within the social and institutional contexts that gave rise to it.