Holy Family with Young St John and St Catherine

Holy Family with Young St John and St Catherine was painted by Paolo Veronese in 1565. [1] Though the commissioner of this work is not known, [1] there are numerous artistic and stylistic elements in this piece that are indicative of Veronese’s style, which included finely detailed depictions as well as a mastery of vivid coloring. [2] This particular piece is also indicative of Veronese’s style because certain stylistic elements in this piece are similar to elements of pieces he made around the same time period while he was in Venice. For instance, the depiction of St Catherine with her shimmering blond hair is similar to his rendering in The Coronation of Esther. [2]

Immediately upon viewing this piece, five figures can be seen. To the right side of this piece, is a child version of St. John with Joseph as they both look up towards the baby Jesus. Holding the baby Jesus is the Virgin Mary as St. Catherine stands next to her and looks at the child. The most important factor that Veronese utilizes to show the importance of figures in this piece is the contrast between light and dark. The figures of Joseph and St. John are cast in the shadow of the two female divine figures. Furthermore, the faces of the two divine figures are much more illuminated when compared to the figures and faces of the two male figures. Veronese also utilizes spatial organization to further this contrast between the two female and two male figures in this piece. Due to the positioning of the Virgin Mary and St. Catherine, they are standing over the two male figures and are positioned in a way that it appears as if they are shielding protectively over the baby Jesus. Finally, Veronese, who is well known for his vivid use of color, [2], manipulates this artistic element to cast an emphasis and draw the gaze towards the two divine women in this piece. Specifically, their clothing is deeply colored in shades of reds, deep blues, and shimmering golds. The use of gold can be extended to St. Catherine’s hair, which draws the viewers' gaze to her due to the way the gold was laid to make it appear brighter, vibrant, and as if it were shimmering. Veronese’s use of color in this piece is bolstered by the additional artistic elements he has added to this piece. For instance, the clothing of the two women is remarkably extravagant, and St. Catherine has a variety of jewels in her hair. By depicting them in such a grand manner, he is reminding his viewers, regardless of the time period, of their importance and divinity. Additionally, the background behind the two female figures is considerably less decorated, which acts as a contrast with the two female figures in order to highlight them further.

Veronese’s emphasis in this piece is very unique when compared to images of similar biblical content because, instead of focusing on just one female divine figure (often the Virgin Mary), it includes two divine women. Whether the viewer is an individual during Veronese’s time or after, it is clear that the figures are standing protectively over the figure of baby Jesus, with St. Catherine shielding Him with her body. This depiction draws a connection to the idea that Venice was protected by these divine figures. However, rather than only being protected by the Virgin Mary, as most works of the time depicted, Veronese shows that Venice is protected by two divine figures, both the Virgin Mary and a saint.

[1] “Holy Family with Young St John and St Catherine”, Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi, accessed November 1, 2020, https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/holy-family-with-young-st-john-and-st-catherine.

[2] Diana Gisolfi, “Veronese,” Grove Art Online, (July 2013): 1.

• Gisolfi, Diana, “Veronese.” Grove Art Online, (July 2013), https://doi.org/10.1093/gao/9781884446054.article.T089003.
• Le Gallerie Degli Uffizi. “Holy Family with Young St John and St Catherine.” Accessed November 1, 2020. https://www.uffizi.it/en/artworks/holy-family-with-young-st-john-and-st-catherine.
• Palluchini, Rodolfo. Veronese. Milano: A. Mondadori, 1984.
• Gisolfi, Diana. Paolo Veronese and the Practice of Painting in Late Renaissance Venice. Yale University Press, 2017.
• Ilchman, Frederick. Titian, Tintoretto, and Veronese: Rivals in Renaissance Venice. MFA Publications, 2009.