Mary Cleophas and her Family; Mary Salome and her Family

JPG • 3400 × 2844 PX • 5.6 MB
Curatorial Notes

These two panels depict members of the Holy Kinship, a popular late medieval subject representing the extended family of Jesus. The left panel shows Mary Cleophas nursing an infant, likely James the Less or Simon, while her husband Alpheus works at a desk in the background. The right panel features Mary Salome tending to her children, including the future apostles James the Greater and John the Evangelist, with Zebedee holding an infant behind them. The domestic setting and intimate gestures, such as combing hair and playing with a tablet, emphasize the humanity of these sacred figures. Painted in 1513, the work reflects the influence of the Nuremberg school and the artist's master, Albrecht Dürer, through its detailed interior and expressive characterizations.

Artwork Identification

Title Mary Cleophas and her Family; Mary Salome and her Family
Title (PT) Maria de Cleofas e sua Família; Maria Salomé e sua Família
Title (ES) María de Cleofás y su Familia; María Salomé y su Familia
Artist Hans Süss von Kulmbach
Artist Bio Hans Süss von Kulmbach was a German painter and printmaker active in Nuremberg. He was a prominent pupil of Albrecht Dürer and specialized in altarpieces and stained glass designs. His style bridges the late Gothic tradition with the emerging Renaissance influences of the early 16th century.
Date 1513
Work Type Painting

Location & Collection

License Creative Commons Public Domain Mark 1.0
Ars Sancta