De Heilige Familie 1650

Jan Cossiers’ “De Heilige Familie” was created with oil on canvas, a popular choice at the time for larger paintings like this one. The artist has deployed a dark background and chiaroscuro to place the figures in stark relief, which guides our attention to the Holy Family, and the fabrics and flesh rendered with great care. The rich purple and white garments worn by Mary, although associated with royalty and purity, came at a cost. The processes required to make them into dye and cloth was laborious, requiring skilled artisans, to cater to the desires of the upper class. This emphasizes the importance of skilled labor and the economic structures that underpin artistic creation. It reminds us that even religious art is embedded in a world of making, materials, and social status.