Artwork
Saint Anne, the Virgin, Saint Elisabeth, Saint John and the Child Jesus
Saint Anne, the Virgin, Saint Elisabeth, Saint John and the Child Jesus is an oil painting by the Mannerist artist Fernando Yáñez de la Almedina. It dates from 1525 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1525 by Spanish early‑Renaissance painter Fernando Yáñez de la Almedina, this oil work brings together five holy figures in a compact grouping. The composition is now part of the Museo del Prado’s collection in Madrid, where it is displayed as an example of the period’s religious painting.
Subject & Meaning
The central focus is a woman in a red garment holding a small child, while a crawling infant reaches toward the infant in her arms. Flanking them are two older women and a bald male figure, traditionally identified as Saint Anne, the Virgin Mary, Saint Elisabeth, Saint John the Baptist, and the infant Jesus, respectively, emphasizing familial and theological connections among the saints.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil, the painting demonstrates a careful handling of light and shadow that gives the figures a solid, three‑dimensional presence. The palette relies on reds, blues, and earth tones, while the chiaroscuro modeling of faces and drapery reflects the influence of Italian Renaissance practices that Yáñez encountered during his studies abroad.
History & Provenance
Born near Almedina around 1475, Yáñez spent part of his career in Italy, where exposure to Leonardo da Vinci’s work informed his approach. After his death in 1536, the painting entered the Spanish royal collections and eventually was transferred to the Prado, where it remains.
Context
The work belongs to the Mannerist phase of the early 16th century, a time when Spanish artists were integrating Italian compositional ideas with local devotional themes. Its grouping of interrelated saints reflects the period’s emphasis on narrative clarity and theological symbolism.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Fernando (or Hernando) Yáñez de la Almedina, born in Almedina, Spain in c. 1475 and died in Valencia, Kingdom of Spain in 1536, was a Spanish painter. He was one of the most important early Renaissance painters in…
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