The Holy Family with the Infant John the Baptist

c. 1546

Pellegrino Tibaldi

Associated Names
Pellegrino Tibaldi

Artist, Italian, 1527 - 1596

The image shows a woman seated with two children. The woman is holding a child in her lap, while the other child stands beside her. She appears relaxed and gentle, looking downwards at the child in her lap. Her features are calm, with closed or gently gazing eyes, a straight nose, and subtle lips. Her hair is styled back, possibly covered with a veil or headscarf. She wears a long, flowing garment. The seated child is nude, with a cherubic face and curly hair. The standing child is also nude with curly hair and delicate features. The woman seems to be holding a slender object. In the background, there are draped fabric and architectural elements. Another adult figure is partially visible in the upper left corner.

Media Options

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Artwork overview

  • Medium

    pen and brown ink with brown wash and white gouache over black chalk, squared with black chalk on green-gray laid paper (originally blue), with a part of the lower edge replaced

  • Credit Line

    Wolfgang Ratjen Collection, Patrons' Permanent Fund

  • Dimensions

    overall: 41.4 x 25.3 cm (16 5/16 x 9 15/16 in.)

  • Accession Number

    2007.111.169

Artwork history & notes

Provenance

Jonathan Richardson, Jr., London (1694 - 1771) (Lugt 2170). Benjamin West, London (1738 - 1820) (Lugt 419). (sale, Sotheby's London, 21 November 1974, no. 6). Herbert List [1903-1975], Munich (Lugt 4063); Ursula and Adolf Ratjen, Vaduz, for Wolfgang Ratjen; Wolfgang Ratjen, Munich; purchased 2007 by NGA.

Associated Names

Exhibition History

1977

  • Stiftung Ratjen, Italienische Zeichnungen des 16.-18. Jahrhunderts. Staatliche Graphische Sammlung Munich; Kupferstichkabinett Berlin; Kunsthalle, Hamburg; Kunstmuseum, Düsseldorf; Staatsgalerie, Stuttgart. Munich, 1977, 146, no. 67 (entry by Richard Harprath).

1979

  • Zeichnungen italienischer Meister aus den Sammlungen Schloss Fachsenfeld, Stiftung Ratjen Vaduz, Staatsgalerie Stuttgart, Staatliche Graphische Sammlung München. Kunstmuseum Lucerne, 1979, 26, no. 38.

1992

  • Drawing in Bologna, 1500 - 1600, Courtauld Institute Galleries, London, 1992, no. 58 (Elizabeth Llewellyn and Cristiana Romalli).

1995

  • Fünfzig italienische Zeichnungen des 16. - 18. Jahrhunderts aus der Stiftung Ratjen, Vaduz. Liechtensteinischen Staatlichen Kunstsammlung, Vaduz. Bern, 1995, no. 13.

1996

  • Italian Drawings from the Ratjen Foundation, Vaduz. The Frick Collection, New York. Bern, 1996, no. 13.

2011

  • Italian Master Drawings from the Wolfgang Ratjen Collection, 1525-1835, National Gallery of Art, Washington, DC, 2011, no. 4.

Bibliography

1986

  • Fortunati Pietrantonio, Vera, ed. Pittura bolognese del '500 2 vols. Bologna, 1986, 2: 477-478, reprod. 497.

Inscriptions

bottom of old mount in brown ink: Domenichino-(from Benjamin West's collection-previously in Jonathan Richardson's.); on verso in brown ink at center, the same text but the last four letters cut off and preserved on a small piece of the old mount, re-adhered below on the right margin. at lower right in graphite (by Herbert List): R Lugt 2170. J Richardson Junr 1694-1771 London/B.W Lugt 419-Benjamin West 1738-1820 London

Wikidata ID

Q64619286

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