Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist kissing the infant Christ's hand
ca. 1642
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
Sheet: 4 15/16 × 3 7/16 in. (12.5 × 8.8 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(83)
Tags
Art Historical Context
In this delicate etching from around 1642, Italian artist Simone Cantarini captures a tender moment in Christian iconography: the Holy FamilyMary, Joseph, and infant Jesus—with the young John the Baptist reverently kissing Christ's hand. Cantarini, a Bolognese painter and printmaker active in the 17th century, drew inspiration from the emotive religious themes popular in Baroque art, blending classical grace with intimate devotion. This small-scale work (just 5 by 3½ inches) invites viewers into a scene of divine affection, symbolizing John's prophetic role as the forerunner to Jesus. Etching...
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