The Holy Family
Unknown Artist
16th century
Medium
Painted enamel on copper, partly gilt; gilt bronze
Dimensions
Diameter (of enamels): 2 3/8 in. (6 cm)
Classification
Enamels
Culture
Flemish or Dutch
Department
European Sculpture and Decorative Arts
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of George Blumenthal, 1941
Accession Number
41.100.249
Tags
Art Historical Context
Nestled in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's European Sculpture and Decorative Arts, *The Holy Family* is delicate 16th-century treasure from Flemish or Dutch workshops. This intimate artwork depicts the sacred trio of the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child, and Saint Joseph, joined by the young Saint John the Baptist—a classic Renaissance motif symbolizing divine protection and familial piety. Crafted as small circular enamels (just 2 3/8 inches in diameter), it likely served as a devotional plaque or pendant, gifted to the museum by George Blumenthal in 1941. The medium shines here: painted ename...