The Transport of the Holy House of Loreto
c. 1650
Medium
etching on laid paper
Dimensions
plate: 25.1 × 38.7 cm (9 7/8 × 15 1/4 in.) sheet: 25.6 × 39.2 cm (10 1/16 × 15 7/16 in.)
Classification
Department
CG-E
Museum
National Gallery of Art, Washington, D.C.
Credit
Ailsa Mellon Bruce Fund
Accession Number
2016.43.3
Art Historical Context
Joseph Heintz the Younger’s etching captures the legendary transport of the Holy House of Loreto, a cherished Catholic miracle story in which angels carried the Virgin Mary’s Nazareth home to Italy. Created around 1650, the print reflects the era’s renewed emphasis on Marian devotion during the Counter-Reformation, when such miraculous narratives were widely promoted to inspire faith across Europe. As an etching on laid paper, the work showcases the medium’s capacity for fine, expressive lines that convey both the drama of airborne angels and the intimate details of the humble stone house. He...