Holy Family
Medium
Classification
Department
Smithsonian Collection
Museum
Smithsonian American Art Museum
Credit
Gift of Mrs. George A. Kubler
Accession Number
1949-152-94
About this artwork
Research in Progress
Art Historical Context
Created in 1794 by English artist Samuel Ireland, this print titled *Holy Family* offers a glimpse into late eighteenth-century religious imagery. Working as an engraver and printmaker during a period of significant artistic and social change Ireland contributed to the tradition of reproducing sacred subjects for wider audiences. The work depicts the familiar biblical scene of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, rendered through the precise lines characteristic of print techniques. Prints held particular importance in the 1700s, allowing detailed images to circulate beyond elite collections a...