This work belongs to a main work

St. Joseph with the Christ Child, 1701 – 1800

Dimensions: 69.1 x 51.9 cm

Physical Description: Canvas

Inventory Number: 1641

Object Number: 1641R

Acquisition: Acquired in 1921 as a gift from Kurt Walter Bachstitz

Status: Not on display

Texts

About the Work

There are paintings of equal quality on either side of this oval. Joachim and Joseph – the father and husband of the Virgin Mary – were revered chiefly in southern Germany and Austria. This pair of images was perhaps carried in processions as a banner. In gratitude for the pregnancy of his aged wife, Anna, Joachim sacrificed a lamb after the conception. Joseph’s attribute is a flowering staff – according to legend, a symbol that he has been chosen as Mary’s husband. As Jesus’ ‘foster father’, he was the patron saint of marriage and child-rearing.

Work Data

Basic Information

Title: St. Joseph with the Christ Child

Painter

Martino Altomonte ?

Recto: Joachim's Sacrifice, reverse: Saint Joseph with the Christ Child

Period Produced

18th century

Object Type

painting (artwork)

Physical Description: Canvas

Material

canvas

Property and Acquisition

Institution

Städel Museum

Administration

Old Masters 1300 - 1800

Collection

Städelsches Kunstinstitut

Creditline: Städel Museum, Frankfurt am Main

Picture Copyright: Public Domain

Acquisition: Acquired in 1921 as a gift from Kurt Walter Bachstitz

Work Content

Motifs and References

Genre

Main Motif

Persons Shown

Iconclass

Primary

11H(JOSEPH)4(+31) the foster-father of Christ, Joseph of Nazareth, husband of Mary; possible attributes: flowering rod or wand, lily, carpenter's tools - non-miraculous activities and events ~ male saint (+ angels floating in the air)
11D2 Christ as child or youth (in general) ~ Christian religion