Artwork
Holy family with saints Zachary, Elizabeth and little John
Holy family with saints Zachary, Elizabeth and little John is a paint painting by the Mannerist artist Luca Signorelli. It dates from 1510 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1510 by the Tuscan painter Luca Signorelli, this oil work portrays the Virgin Mary, the infant Christ, and a group of accompanying figures. The composition is set on a tiled floor against a subdued backdrop, with the central mother and child framed by a male figure in red and a female figure in blue. The painting is part of the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
The scene brings together the Holy Family with the biblical figures Zacharias, his wife Elizabeth, and the young John the Baptist. Mary holds the Christ child, while Zacharias, depicted as an older man, cradles the infant John. Elizabeth stands nearby, her posture and expression emphasizing familial devotion and the prophetic link between the two infants.
Technique & Style
Warm, saturated hues—particularly reds and blues—enhance the intimate atmosphere, while careful modeling of drapery reveals his skill in rendering fabric folds.
Signorelli employs a mannerist approach, evident in the elongated proportions and the subtle, graceful poses of the figures. Warm, saturated hues—particularly reds and blues—enhance the intimate atmosphere, while careful modeling of drapery reveals his skill in rendering fabric folds. The use of light and shadow creates a modest chiaroscuro that gives depth to the tiled floor and the figures' faces.
History & Provenance
After its completion, the painting entered private collections before being acquired by the Gemäldegalerie, Berlin, where it remains on display. Its attribution to Signorelli is supported by stylistic analysis linking it to his late career, a period marked by a shift toward more expressive, mannerist compositions.
Artist & collection
Artist
Luca Signorelli (c. 1441/1445 – 16 October 1523) was an Italian Renaissance painter from Cortona, in Tuscany, who was noted in particular for his ability as a draftsman and his use of foreshortening. His massive frescos…
