The Holy Kindred
Statuette
ca. 1515-1520 (made)
ca. 1515-1520 (made)
| Artist/Maker | |
| Place of origin |
These reliefs were part of a small domestic altar and represent the Holy Kindred. They refer to the legend of the triple marriage of Saint Anne, and her three daughters by her three husbands. Saint Anne sits in the centre, with the Virgin and Christ Child, and behind them are her husbands (Joachim, Cleophas, and Salomas) and Saint Joseph. The side groups depict Mary Salome and May Cleophas with their husbands and children.
This work was associated to the Master of Ottobeuren, named after the reliefs in the abbey of Ottobeuren, later identified with the sculptor Hans Thoman, active in Memmingen, Swabia in the early decades of the sixteenth century. In 1502-5 he worked in the workshop of Hans Herlin, whose influence can be seen in the present group.
The Holy Kindred was a popular subject in fifteenth and early sixteenth century German and Netherlandish art. It forms part of a series of themes dealing with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and is entirely centred on Saint Anne. Early names for the Holy Kindred were very explicit: it was called the Genealogy of Madam Saint Anne or The Apostolic Descendance of Saint Anne. Representations of the Holy Kindred include a whole gallery of people. Gathered around Saint Anne we find her three husbands (Joachim, Salomas and Cleophas), the three daughters, their husbands and children.
This work was associated to the Master of Ottobeuren, named after the reliefs in the abbey of Ottobeuren, later identified with the sculptor Hans Thoman, active in Memmingen, Swabia in the early decades of the sixteenth century. In 1502-5 he worked in the workshop of Hans Herlin, whose influence can be seen in the present group.
The Holy Kindred was a popular subject in fifteenth and early sixteenth century German and Netherlandish art. It forms part of a series of themes dealing with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and is entirely centred on Saint Anne. Early names for the Holy Kindred were very explicit: it was called the Genealogy of Madam Saint Anne or The Apostolic Descendance of Saint Anne. Representations of the Holy Kindred include a whole gallery of people. Gathered around Saint Anne we find her three husbands (Joachim, Salomas and Cleophas), the three daughters, their husbands and children.
Object details
| Categories | |
| Object type | |
| Parts | This object consists of 4 parts.
|
| Title | The Holy Kindred (generic title) |
| Materials and techniques | Carved limewood, painted |
| Brief description | Carved group, The Holy Kindred, carved and painted limewood, by the workshop of Hans Thoman, Memmingen (Germany), ca. 1515-1520 Holy kindred (mary cleophas & family); polychrome limewood, workshop of Hans Thoman (Memmingen, Germany), about 1515-20 Holy kindred (virgin & child group); polychrome limewood, workshop of Hans Thoman (Memmingen, Germany), about 1515-20 for Holy Kindred group; Wood, Baroque with pseudo-Gothic tracery 19C |
| Physical description | The central group depicts the Virgin and Saint Anne seated on a bench. They both support the naked Christ Child, who stands on the Virgin's lap. Behind her Saint Joseph leans forward, resting on a stick. Joachim stands behind Saint Anne between her tow other husbands, Salomas and Cleophas. The left group shows the seated Mary Cleophas in profile, her husband Alphaeus who stands behind her, and their children Saint James the Less, Joseph the Just, Simon and Jude. Three of the children are naked, two held by their parents, the other stands at his mother's knee playing with his clothed brother, who is riding a hobby-horse. The right group shows Mary Salome seated with a bunch of grapes in her left hand, her husband Zebedee, and their children Saint John the Evangelist and Saint James the Greater. The naked Saint John sits on her mother's lap, while his brother, who wears a belted tunic, stands at her knee and reaches out for the grapes with his right hand. |
| Dimensions |
|
| Object history | After their acquisition, the three reliefs were inserted in a frame with tracery in the upper level and pierced plinths. The overpaint, probably dating from the 19th century, was removed in 1931. The dowels under the reliefs' bases are later additions. The benches were originally silvered. Historical significance: These reliefs are from a small domestic altar. They were associated to the Master of Ottobeuren, named after the reliefs in the abbey of Ottobeuren, later identified with the sculptor Hans Thoman, active in Memmingen, Swabia. In 1502-5 he worked in the workshop of Hans Herlin, whose influence can be seen in the present group. The composition and the facial features of the Virgin, Saint Joseph and Saint Anne's husband behind the Virgin bear in fact similarities with the relief of the Holy Kindred ascribed to Herlin, formerly in the Skulpturengalerie in Berlin (destroyed in 1945). Nevertheless, the drapery is carved much more fluidly than in the latter, and is closer to that of the Adoration of the Magi, also formerly in the same museum. A similar treatment of the drapery can be seen in two reliefs by Thoman, in the Vorlarberger Museum, Bregenz, depicting Saint Martin and the Beggar and the Decapitation of Saint Maurice, datable to around 1515-20. |
| Historical context | The Holy Kindred was a popular subject in fifteenth and early sixteenth century German and Netherlandish art. It forms part of a series of themes dealing with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and is entirely centred on Saint Anne. Early names for the Holy Kindred were very explicit: it was called the Genealogy of Madam Saint Anne or The Apostolic Descendance of Saint Anne. Representations of the Holy Kindred include a whole gallery of people. Gathered around Saint Anne we find her three husbands (Joachim, Salomas and Cleophas), the three daughters, their husbands and children. The origin of this surprising genealogical motif has no foundation in scripture. Mentioned in Jacopo da Voragine's Golden Legend, the apocryphal legend of the triple marriage (Trinubium) of Saint Anne was popularised in 1406 thanks to a vision of Saint Colette, a nun and mystic of Corbie. According to her vision, Saint Anne appeared to Colette with her three daughters and their children. Interpreted by some authors as a feminine transposition of the masculine genealogy of the Jesse Tree, the Holy Kindred disseminated rapidly throughout Northern Europe, not least thanks to the very popular cult in honour of Saint Anne. |
| Production | workshop of Hans Thoman |
| Subjects depicted | |
| Summary | These reliefs were part of a small domestic altar and represent the Holy Kindred. They refer to the legend of the triple marriage of Saint Anne, and her three daughters by her three husbands. Saint Anne sits in the centre, with the Virgin and Christ Child, and behind them are her husbands (Joachim, Cleophas, and Salomas) and Saint Joseph. The side groups depict Mary Salome and May Cleophas with their husbands and children. This work was associated to the Master of Ottobeuren, named after the reliefs in the abbey of Ottobeuren, later identified with the sculptor Hans Thoman, active in Memmingen, Swabia in the early decades of the sixteenth century. In 1502-5 he worked in the workshop of Hans Herlin, whose influence can be seen in the present group. The Holy Kindred was a popular subject in fifteenth and early sixteenth century German and Netherlandish art. It forms part of a series of themes dealing with the genealogy of Jesus Christ, and is entirely centred on Saint Anne. Early names for the Holy Kindred were very explicit: it was called the Genealogy of Madam Saint Anne or The Apostolic Descendance of Saint Anne. Representations of the Holy Kindred include a whole gallery of people. Gathered around Saint Anne we find her three husbands (Joachim, Salomas and Cleophas), the three daughters, their husbands and children. |
| Bibliographic references |
|
| Collection | |
| Accession number | 573& to C-1872 |
About this object record
Explore the Collections contains over a million catalogue records, and over half a million images. It is a working database that includes information compiled over the life of the museum. Some of our records may contain offensive and discriminatory language, or reflect outdated ideas, practice and analysis. We are committed to addressing these issues, and to review and update our records accordingly.
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
You can write to us to suggest improvements to the record.
Suggest feedback
| Record created | January 17, 2007 |
| Record URL |
Download as: JSONIIIF Manifest
