The Holy Family with Saint Catherine, Saint John the Evangelist and an Angel

Art Historical Context

Jacques Bellange's *The Holy Family with Saint, Saint John the Evangelist and an Angel*c. 1612–16) is a masterful etching that captures a tender yet dramatic religious scene from the early Baroque era. The composition centers the Virgin Mary, Christ Child, and Saint Joseph surrounded by Saint Catherine—recognizable by her wheel—and Saint John the Evangelist, with an angel adding a touch of celestial grace. Created in the Duchy of Lorraine, where Bellange worked as a printmaker and painter, this print reflects the late Mannerist style prevalent in Northern Europe, characterized by elongated figures, intricate details, and emotional intensity. Bellange's etching technique shines here, with its fine, silvery lines and subtle tonal gradations achieved through masterful burr and cross-hatching. Etchings like this were revolutionary for their reproducibility, allowing devotional images to reach a wider audience beyond oil paintings reserved for churches and nobility. At 10 9/16 × 7 3/8 inches, the trimmed sheet invites intimate contemplation, much like a portable altarpiece. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art's Drawings and Prints department (The Elisha Whittelsey Collection, 1956), this work exemplifies Bellange's rare output—fewer than 50 known prints—making it a gem for collectors. It bridges Renaissance elegance and emerging Baroque drama, offering visitors a window into 17th-century Catholic piety and artistic innovation.

About the Artist

Jacques Bellange · 1570–1616

Jacques Bellange (c. 1575–1616) was a French artist and printmaker active in the independent Duchy of Lorraine, now part of France. Believed to have been born in the Bassigny region south of Nancy, his early life and training remain sparsely documented, with no records of specific teachers or mentors. He first appears in historical records in 1595 at La Mothe, where he took on an apprentice, sugge...