“This intimate "Holy Family" invites you into a moment of tender domesticity, rendered with exquisite detail and a luminous glow that was highly prized in its time.”
In this tender depiction of the Holy Family, Mary cradles the Christ Child, who reaches out playfully towards Saint Joseph. The scene is bathed in a soft, ethereal glow, emphasizing the intimate connection between the figures. Joseph, positioned slightly behind Mary, gazes down with paternal affection, his hands gently resting on a staff, creating a subtle diagonal that draws the eye towards the central figures. The artist’s meticulous attention to detail is evident in the delicate rendering of skin tones and the flowing drapery, which adds a sense of grace and movement to the composition. This work, painted late in the artist's career, reflects the refined and polished style that garnered him significant patronage across Europe, including from the Medici family.
- Artist
- Adriaen van der Werff
- Date
- 1725
- Medium
- Oil on panel
- Location
- Alte Pinakothek
What to Notice
Five details hide in plain sight. Here’s where to look.

The Christ Child's playful gesture towards Saint Joseph.
The way Mary's blue robe drapes, catching the subtle light.
Saint Joseph's gentle, almost protective, gaze.
The soft, diffused light that illuminates the faces and hands.
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Adriaen van der Werff
1659–1722 · Dutch RepublicAdriaen van der Werff, a Dutch master, rose from Rotterdam to become court painter to the Elector Palatine, captivating European royalty with his refined Baroque scenes.
Further Works by van der Werff
Venus and Cupid
1684 · Vizcaya Museum and Gardens
Venus and Cupid
1699 · Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister
Shepherd and shepherdess
1706 · Galleria Sabauda
The Annunciation
1706 · Bavarian State Painting Collections
Adam and Eve
1711 · Herzog Anton Ulrich Museum
Penitent Magdalene
1712 · Gemäldegalerie Berlin
Venus and Cupid
1716 · Czartoryski Museum
Tancred's servant presenting the heart of Guiscard in a golden cup to Guismond
1678 · Fitzwilliam Museum
More works to explore
Beyond van der Werff: works from the same years.
Same era · 1710s–1740s
Samuel Bradford (1652–1731), Master (1716–1724), Bishop of Rochester (1723–1731)
John Theodore Heins · 1729 · Corpus Christi College
Same era · 1710s–1740s
Sr. Hudibras, His Passing Worth, The Manner How He Sally'd Forth": Twelve Large Illustrations for Samuel Butler's Hudibras, Plate 2
William Hogarth · 1725 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1710s–1740s
Viererleÿ Vorstellungen angenehm-und zierlicher Grundrisse folgender Lustgärten ausser der Residenz-Stadt Wienn..
Salomon Kleiner · 1725 · The Metropolitan Museum of Art
Same era · 1710s–1740s
Two Pieces of Embroidery
Philippe de la Salle · 1723 · Cleveland Museum of Art
