The Holy Family with Three Hares
| The Holy Family with Three Hares | |
|---|---|
 | |
| Year | 1496 |
| Type | Watercolour and bodycolour |
| Medium | woodcut on laid paper |
| Subject | The Holy Family with Three Hares - Albrecht Dürer c. 1496 |
| Dimensions | 38.6 cm × 28 cm (15.2 in × 11 in) |
| Location | National Gallery of Canada, Ottawa, Canada, Ottawa |
The Holy Family with Three Hares is a 1496 watercolour and bodycolour painting by German artist Albrecht Dürer(1471-1528).[1] The woodcut has an estimated value given by Christie's as $80,000-120,00 with a price realised of $92,500.[2] It was purchased in 1923 by the National Gallery of Canada.[3]
Content and themes
The artwork depicts the Christian Holy Family of Mary, Joseph, and the infant Jesus, in an enclosed garden, symbolizing Mary's virginity. The infant Jesus is reading from what is very probably a book of scripture, representing his close connection with the Word of God, not only because in Christianity he fulfills the Old Testament prophecy of a messiah, but also because in some Christian traditions Jesus has been described as the word of God.[4]
References
- ^ "The Holy Family with Three Hares, c. 1496". National Gallery of Canada. Retrieved 31 October 2016.
- ^ "Lot details". Christies.com. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
- ^ "The Holy Family with Three Hares, c. 1496". National Gallery of Canada. Retrieved 1 November 2016.
- ^ Catholic Church (2000). Catechism of the Catholic Church (2nd ed.). Vatican: Libreria Editrice Vaticana. p. Section 2, Paragraph 1.
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