On-line gallery
- Reference number
- P00303
- Author
- Raphael (Italian)
- Title
- The Holy Family with an Oak Tree
- Chronology
- Ca. 1518
- Technique
- Support
- Measures
- 144 cm x 110 cm x 3 cm
- School
- Theme
- Shown
- Yes
- Entrance
- COLECCION REAL
- Procedence
- Royal Collection
Leaning on a classical ruin, Saint
Joseph looks at the Virgin Mary
with the Christ Child in her lap.
Jesus, in turn, is receiving a roll
with the words Ecce Agnus Dei from
Saint John. This Latin inscription
meaning Lamb of God refers to the
Passion of Christ, who sacrifices
himself, just as lambs were
sacrified by the Jews, in order to
save humanity from sin.
The oak tree standing behind the
main group gives its name to the
work and separates the figures from
the background landscape and the
ruins of the Caracalla Baths on the
left.
The composition of this work was
drawn by Rafael, who probably also
made a first sketch, but it would
be retouched and finished by Giulio
Romano. We can see its similarity
to the composition of The Pearl
(P301), also by Raphael, in the
importance given to the landscape
and the artist's interest in
contrasting light. But the manner
of grouping the figures is
different: here they are arranged
diagonally, rather than in pyramid
form.
In 1640, Niccol
Location on the map
