The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Margaret
This monumental tondo, among Filippino’s most significant works, was commissioned by Neapolitan cardinal Oliviero Carafa, a leading political and ecclesiastical figure. The painter’s ingenious composition harmoniously overlaps five brilliantly colored divine figures within the challenging circular format. Behind a low wall adorned with sacred and domestic objects, Joseph observes the intertwined group of Mary holding Christ, who embraces his cousin John the Baptist, supported by Saint Margaret. Created during Filippino’s Roman years (1488–93), the painting reflects the inspiration he drew f...
Details
- Palette
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Select a color to find related artworks.
- Medium
- tempera and oil on wood
- Dimensions
- framed: height 1.84 m, width 1.86 m, depth 0.095 m; diameter: width 1.53 m
- Origin
- Italy
- Department
- Medieval Art
- Holding institution
- Cleveland Museum of Art
- Image provider
- cleveland-museum-of-art
- License
- CC0-1.0
- Credit
- 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
Art Genome Taxonomy
11 tags
Subject Matter
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Madonna and Child Both · 99%
Mary visibly holds the infant Christ at the center, consistent with the work’s title and catalog description.
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Human Figure Both · 99%
Five human figures are visibly grouped in the foreground; the catalog identifies them as Joseph, Mary, Christ, John the Baptist, and Saint Margaret.
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Saints Metadata · 98%
The title and catalog description identify Saint John the Baptist and Saint Margaret among the depicted figures.
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Landscapes Visual · 96%
Rocky terrain, trees, sky, and a distant settlement form a clearly visible landscape background.
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References to Art History Both · 90%
The catalog explicitly describes the painting’s inspiration from ancient art, while the image visibly includes a classical-looking architectural pier and architectural fragments.
Visual Qualities
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Dense Composition Both · 96%
The five figures, overlapping draperies, architectural pier, foreground wall, books, and vessels are densely organized within the circular field; the catalog also emphasizes the harmonious overlap of the figures.
Medium and Techniques
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Painting Both · 99%
The image visibly presents a painted composition, and the museum classifies the work as a painting.
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Oil Painting Metadata · 95%
The museum metadata identifies the medium as tempera and oil on wood.
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Tempera Metadata · 95%
The museum metadata identifies tempera as one of the two media used on the wooden support.
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Tondo Both · 99%
The image has a circular painted field, and the museum description explicitly identifies the work as a monumental tondo.
Materials
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Wood Metadata · 99%
The museum records the medium as tempera and oil on wood.
Source & rights
Filippino Lippi (Italian, c. 1457–1504). The Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist and Saint Margaret. Cleveland Museum of Art.