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Poussin - The Holy Family
Identifier
008004
Type of Spiritual Experience
Background
This is an absolutely wonderful painting, but also demonstrates why Poussin wasn't asked to paint that many religious scenes.
Mary is playing with Jesus just like a new Mum would, so already we have a rather unusual interpretation - a more homely natural interpretation. She is wearing ordinary clothes and you will notice there is no halo for either of them.
Joseph is separated from them, shown in the picture by quite a formidable barrier of fabric. And he is miffed - fed up, not happy. Poussin has painted him just as a man would feel if he knew he hadn't fathered the baby and the baby was getting all the attention.
The tripod is symbolic, the bowl is symbolic, but it hardly matters.
A description of the experience
