Who painted Holy Family with Sts Catherine, Anne and John?

Holy Family with Sts Catherine, Anne and John was painted by Benedetto Caliari in 1590.

Where can I see Holy Family with Sts Catherine, Anne and John?

Holy Family with Sts Catherine, Anne and John is held by Hermitage Museum.

What movement is Holy Family with Sts Catherine, Anne and John?

Holy Family with Sts Catherine, Anne and John is associated with Mannerism.

Artwork

Holy Family with Sts Catherine, Anne and John

Benedetto Caliari , 1590

Holy Family with Sts Catherine, Anne and John is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Benedetto Caliari. It dates from 1590 and is held in the collection of the Hermitage Museum.

About this work

Overview

Benedetto Caliari’s 1590 oil on canvas presents a tranquil gathering of the Holy Family accompanied by saints Catherine, Anne, and John the Baptist. Executed in the late‑sixteenth‑century Venetian Mannerist idiom, the work balances a serene atmosphere with a stylized, elegant arrangement of figures, set against a subdued landscape.

Subject & Meaning

Saint Catherine kneels with a rose, Saint Anne stands nearby, and an older man, traditionally John the Baptist, holds a book, emphasizing his prophetic role.

At the centre, the infant Jesus is cradled by a woman in a red garment, likely the Virgin Mary, while a male figure in yellow—identified as Saint Joseph—looks down protectively. Saint Catherine kneels with a rose, Saint Anne stands nearby, and an older man, traditionally John the Baptist, holds a book, emphasizing his prophetic role. The composition underscores themes of familial devotion and intercessory sanctity.

Technique & Style

Caliari employs the elongated poses and refined surface treatment typical of Venetian Mannerism, using a limited palette of rich reds, yellows, and deep shadows. The figures are rendered with smooth brushwork that accentuates their graceful contours, while the dark, atmospheric background with distant trees and hills provides a subtle spatial depth.

History & Provenance

The painting belongs to the artistic circle surrounding the Veronese family; Benedetto was the younger brother of the celebrated Paolo Veronese. After remaining in private collections for centuries, the work entered the State Hermitage Museum’s holdings, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Italian Baroque and Mannerist assemblage.

Context

Created during a period when Venetian artists favored elaborate, courtly compositions, the work reflects the city’s taste for sophisticated religious imagery that combined devotional content with decorative elegance. Caliari’s approach mirrors the influence of his brother’s grandiose narrative style while retaining a more intimate, contemplative mood.

Artist & collection

Artist

Benedetto Caliari

Benedetto Caliari (1538–1598) was an Italian painter who was born into a family of artists. Benedetto's father Gabriele Caliari was a stonecutter. Benedetto's brother Paolo Caliari was the renowned painter Veronese.