The Holy Family and Saint John the Baptist playing with a lamb, an angel at right

Art Historical Context

This engraving captures a tender, intimate moment from Christian tradition: the Christ Child and young Saint John the Baptist playfully interact with a lamb, symbol of innocence and sacrifice, while Virgin Mary, Saint Joseph, and a watchful angel look on. Created around 1631, the print is based on a design by Peter Paul Rubens, the leading Flemish Baroque master known for his dynamic and warm, humanistic approach to religious subjects. Engravers Frans van den Wyngaerde and Willem Panne translated Rubens’s lively drawing into this detailed print, issued in two states that show subtle refinements to the figures and shading. As a reproductive engraving, the work exemplifies how Rubens’s studio used printmaking to share devotional images across Europe during the Counter-Reformation. The medium allowed collectors and churches to own affordable versions of grand religious scenes, spreading both artistic ideals and spiritual messages. The second state of the plate reflects the careful adjustments printmakers made to improve clarity and emotional impact. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s Department of Drawings and Prints, this small yet expressive work highlights the collaborative nature of Baroque art production and the enduring appeal of the Holy Family as a subject of domestic warmth and divine significance.