Who painted Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter's Bench?

Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter's Bench was painted by Luca Giordano in 1698.

Where can I see Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter's Bench?

Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter's Bench is held by Kunsthistorisches Museum.

What movement is Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter's Bench?

Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter's Bench is associated with Early Baroque Italian.

Artwork

Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter's Bench

Luca Giordano , 1698

Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter's Bench is an unspecified painting by the Early Baroque Italian artist Luca Giordano. It dates from 1698 and is held in the collection of the Kunsthistorisches Museum.

About this work

Overview

Luca Giordano’s 1698 oil on canvas, titled Holy Family with Joseph at the Carpenter’s Bench, presents a domestic tableau of the Virgin, child, and Joseph. The work is part of the collection of Vienna’s Kunsthistorisches Museum, where it is displayed among the museum’s Baroque holdings.

Subject & Meaning

In the composition, Joseph is shown at his workbench, shaping a piece of timber, while Mary sits beside him, cradling the infant Jesus. The child grasps a small cross, an emblem of his eventual crucifixion, linking the everyday scene to the larger theological narrative of sacrifice and redemption.

Technique & Style

Giordano employs a warm, golden ground that suffuses the scene with a gentle glow. Soft, muted hues and delicate modeling give the figures a three‑dimensional presence, while the careful use of chiaroscuro creates subtle contrasts that guide the eye toward the central family group.

History & Provenance

Painted toward the end of Giordano’s prolific career, the canvas entered the Kunsthistorisches Museum’s collection in the 19th century, where it has remained. Its presence in the museum reflects the institution’s emphasis on acquiring representative works of the Italian Baroque.

Artist & collection

Artist

Luca Giordano

Luca Giordano was an Italian late-Baroque painter and printmaker in etching. Giordano was one of the most celebrated artists of the Neapolitan Baroque, whose vast output included altarpieces, mythological paintings and…