The Holy Family with the Infant St John, St Elizabeth and St Anna 1538 - 1544

Vincent Sellaer painted ‘The Holy Family with the Infant St John, St Elizabeth and St Anna’ in the early sixteenth century. Sellaer was working in a world steeped in religious symbolism, where family lineage and destiny were perceived as divinely ordained. During this period in Europe, family was not just a social unit, but a cornerstone of political and economic stability. This work creates a space to consider women's roles within these structures: Mary and Elizabeth aren't just mothers, but figures central to religious history, their wombs carrying the weight of prophecy and salvation. What does it mean to be chosen, to be sacred, and yet confined to roles defined by patriarchal structures? The gaze of each figure holds a story, a mix of reverence, contemplation, and perhaps, a silent question about the path laid out before them. This painting invites us to reflect on the complex interplay between faith, identity, and the quiet strength found within the bonds of family.