Home / Artworks / The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Margaret
The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Margaret
Filippino Lippi, c. 1488–93
A tondo is a round painting, and this one is monumental, about 153 centimetres across. The Cleveland Museum of Art calls it one of Filippino Lippi's most significant works. It was commissioned by a Neapolitan cardinal, Oliviero Carafa.
Lippi overlapped five brightly coloured sacred figures inside the circle. Behind a low wall, Joseph looks on while Mary holds Christ, who embraces his cousin John the Baptist, with Saint Margaret supporting the group.
The picture dates from his Roman years, 1488 to 1493, and reflects his study of ancient art. The museum says a preparatory drawing shows that he turned his sketch of an ancient statue of Venus into Saint Margaret. The weathered pier in the painting also refers to the fragments of ancient architecture he saw around Rome.
From the museum record
| Artist | Filippino Lippi |
|---|---|
| Date | c. 1488–93 |
| Medium | Tempera and oil on wood |
| Size | Diameter: 153 cm |
| Museum | The Cleveland Museum of Art |
| Credit line | The Delia E. Holden Fund and a fund donated as a memorial to Mrs. Holden by her children: Guerdon S. Holden, Delia Holden White, Roberta Holden Bole, Emery Holden Greenough, Gertrude Holden McGinley |
| Accession number | 1932.227 |
| Licence | Open Access (CC0) |
Source: The Cleveland Museum of Art collection record. Facts such as dates, sizes and credit lines come from that record. The write-up above was drafted with AI assistance and checked against the museum record and standard references. Spotted a mistake? Tell us.
