Christ in the House of Martha and Mary (Luke 10:38-42)
ca. 1700
Medium
Brush and brown wash, highlighted with white, over black chalk, on blue-green paper
Dimensions
16 x 20-3/4 in. (40.7 x 52.7 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harry G. Sperling Fund, 1983
Accession Number
1983.57
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the intimate drawing *Christ in the House of and Mary* (ca. 1700), Genoese Baroque artist Paolo Gerolamoola captures a pivotal biblical moment from Luke 10:38-42. Jesus visits the sisters Martha and Mary in their home: Martha busily tends to household duties while Mary sits attentively at his feet, absorbing his teachings. Christ gently affirms Mary's choice as the "better part," emphasizing spiritual devotion over worldly concerns. Piola's composition likely weaves in angels, women, and architectural elements like churches, evoking the domestic yet divine setting central to Counter-Reforma...