The Death of St. Joseph
Medium
Etching
Dimensions
sheet: 9 1/4 x 8 1/4 in. (23.5 x 21 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, The Elisha Whittelsey Fund, 1959
Accession Number
59.508.50
Rights
Public Domain
Tags
Art Historical Context
*The Death of St. Joseph* a poignant etching created by the collaborative talents of Robert van Audenaerde, Carlo Maratti, and Arnold van Westerhout. Measuring 9¼ x 8¼ inches, this intimate print captures a sacred moment from Christian tradition: the holy passing of Saint Joseph, surrounded by Christ, the Virgin Mary, and attending angels. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department as part of The Elisha Whittelsey Collection (acquired through the Elisha Whittelsey Fund in 1959), it exemplifies the devotional art produced in Europe during periods of intense religious fervor. Etching, the medium here, involves incising designs into a metal plate with acid, allowing for intricate lines and expressive shading that bring spiritual drama to life. The composition likely emphasizes Joseph's serene repose amid divine figures, highlighting themes of faith, mortality, and heavenly comfort central to Catholic iconography. Such prints were vital for disseminating religious narratives to the faithful, bridging grand altarpieces with personal piety. This artwork invites reflection on life's end as a triumphant passage, blending technical precision with profound emotional resonance—a testament to the engravers' skill in evoking the sacred through reproducible art.
About the Artist
Robert van Audenaerde|Carlo Maratti|Arnold van Westerhout (Flemish|Italian) · 1663 |1625 –1743 |1713
Flemish, Ghent 1663–1743 Ghent|Italian, Camerano 1625–1713 Rome