Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist
ca. 1637–40
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Plate: 6 9/16 × 9 in. (16.7 × 22.8 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Harris Brisbane Dick Fund, 1926
Accession Number
26.70.4(63)
Tags
Art Historical Context
Simone Cantarini's *Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist*, created around 1637–40, captures a tender moment from Christian iconography: the Virgin Mary, Christ Child, Saint Joseph, and the young Saint John the Baptist in a serene grouping. This etching, measuring 6 9/16 × 9 inches, reflects the devotional art popular during the Baroque era, a time when the Catholic Church promoted emotive religious imagery amid the Counter-Reformation. As a master of the Bolognese school, Cantarini—often called "la Monacca" for his monk-like devotion to art—excelled in etching, a printmaking technique wher...
About the Artist
Simone Cantarini · 1612–1648
He was one of the most eminent pupils of Guido Reni and one of the most gifted engravers in the tradition of the Carracci. He had a strong personality and developed a highly original style, which united aspects of Bolognese classicism with a bold naturalism. Comment on works: Religious