Sculpture of the Holy Family

A painted wood sculpture showing Jesus, Mary, Joseph, and their relatives, made for people to pray with.

What do you see?

You see a group of people carved from wood and painted in bright colors. They are standing together, looking calm and holy. The figures wear long robes in blue, red, and gold. The faces are gentle and peaceful.

Look closely

What colors do you notice on the clothes? Why do you think the artist chose those colors?
Look at the faces: do they look happy, sad, or peaceful? What makes you say that?
Can you tell which figure is Jesus? Which is Mary? How?
Look at the hands: what are they doing? Are they holding anything?
Is the sculpture one piece of wood or many pieces joined together?

Style and technique

This is a polychrome wood sculpture. The artist carved the figures from wood using knives and chisels, then painted them with many colors. This style was common in the late Middle Ages and early Renaissance. The calm faces and careful details show the artist's skill. The gold parts may be real gold leaf.

Feeling

The sculpture feels peaceful and holy. The figures look kind and loving. It makes you think about family and faith. The bright colors and gentle faces invite you to look quietly.

Connections

Try this

Try drawing the Holy Family yourself. Think about what colors you would use to show peace and love. Or, look at another sculpture in a museum and see if it is painted or not.

Next to find

A sculpture of the Holy Family from a different country or time period
A polychrome sculpture that still has its original paint
A wood carving that is not painted—compare how it looks
Another artwork that shows a family (not religious)

圣亲家族雕塑

一个彩绘木雕，展示耶稣、玛利亚、约瑟夫和他们的亲属，供人们祈祷使用。

你看到了什么？

你看到一群人，用木头雕刻并涂上鲜艳的颜色。他们站在一起，看起来平静而神圣。人物穿着蓝色、红色和金色的长袍。面容温和安详。

仔细观察

你注意到衣服上有什么颜色？为什么艺术家选择这些颜色？
看他们的脸：他们看起来开心、悲伤还是平静？你怎么看出来的？
你能看出哪个是耶稣？哪个是玛利亚？怎么认出来的？
看他们的手：他们在做什么？手里拿着什么吗？
这个雕塑是一整块木头还是多块拼接的？

风格与技法

这是一件彩绘木雕。艺术家用刀和凿子雕刻出人物，然后涂上多种颜色。这种风格在中世纪末期和早期文艺复兴很常见。平静的面容和精细的细节显示了艺术家的技艺。金色的部分可能是真正的金箔。

感受

雕塑给人平静神圣的感觉。人物看起来慈爱友善。它让你想到家庭和信仰。明亮的色彩和温柔的面容邀请你静静观看。

关联

试试这个

自己试着画一画圣亲家族。想想用什么颜色来表达和平与爱。或者，在博物馆里找另一件雕塑，看看它有没有上色。

下次寻找

来自不同国家或时期的圣亲家族雕塑
一件仍然保留原始彩绘的彩绘雕塑
一件没有上色的木雕——比较它们看起来有什么不同
另一件展示家庭（非宗教）的艺术品

Sculpture of the Holy Family圣亲家族雕塑