Lot 2268 Dα

Arnold Houbraken is known today mainly as a biographer because of his famous directory of Dutch painters. "De groote schouburgh der Nederlantsche konstschilders en schilderessen" (3 volumes, Amsterdam 1718-1719) is an important historical source. However, he was also a talented painter in his own right who received his initial training from Nicolaes Maes and later specialised in portraits and history paintings. The depiction of the Holy Family was a favourite subject of Houbraken. The sources (see Hofstede de Groot fiches in the RKD, The Hague) attest to several paintings by his hand, but they cannot be clearly assigned. The present painting is very different from a "Rest on the Flight into Egypt", which was sold on the art market in 2006 (Sotheby's, New York, 18.5.2006, lot 22). At first glance, the Holy Family could also be mistaken for a family of shepherds. However, the mother wears the colours of Mary - blue and red - and the child holds an apple to represent his role as the new Adam. The man does not correspond to the usual way of depicting Joseph in his clothing and brash posture. One can assume that the Calvinist Houbraken here approached Catholic iconography with slight irony.