Sunday, July 26, 2020

2020 Saint Anne Update


Luca Giordano, Saints Anne and Joachim
Italian, c. 1690-1692
Gaeta, Church of the Annunciation
July 26th is the feast day of Saints Anne and Joachim, the parents of the Virgin Mary and the grandparents of Jesus. They, especially St. Anne, have been important saints for most of the life of the Church and are frequently featured in Christian art. 

Over the last nine years, since my first post in 2011, I have added various images of Saints Anne and Joachim. The number keeps growing because, as the internet has become a more widely available tool, the number of museums and libraries that make their collections available online keeps growing. Further, museums and libraries that made their collections available several years ago continue to release more material from their holdings and to upgrade the quality of those they had already shared as they continue to enhance their online presence. Since Anne and Joachim have been important for so long, we are still only seeing the tip of the iceberg of images that probably exist.

Each year I have continued to add to the collection of images available through this blog as new ones become accessible. I will link these images with the essays about their iconological type which I did in 2011.  Just click on the section headings to be linked to the essays.



In addition, in the last several years I have identified new subjects within the general "Saints Anne and Joachim" theme.  Three years ago, for example, I came across several images that fit into a new category that I called "Parental Love". Like pictures that imagine the life of Jesus as a boy in His home in Nazareth, these images imagine the relationship between Mary, as a little girl, and her parents. 

Two years ago I encountered pictures that I called "Mystical Reflections".  These differ from earlier images of Mary with her parents in that Mary is presented as the woman of the Apocalypse, the Immaculate Conception instead of as a little girl (even a little girl attended by angels).  These pictures belong to the later part of the Counter-Reformation era, in the late 17th to mid-18th centuries.  

This year I am adding a new category, the "Extended Holy Family".  These images are related to, but not identical with the Holy Kindred category.  Instead of including all the lineages of Saint Anne and her daughters, they focus on the nuclear Holy Family of Jesus, Mary and Joseph, but include other family members, such as Saint John the Baptist and his parents and Saints Anne and Joachim.  

For the second year in a row I have found so many new images that I am overwhelmed.  Consequently, I have chosen to include only a selection of these "new" images and will save the remainder for future years.  

So, now I present the 2020 additions to the iconography of Saint Anne. Each section heading is also a link to the original article which explains the iconography. Click on the section headings to learn more.


Announcing Mary's Birth

Joachim and Anne Before the High Priest
From Vita Christi
English, c. 1190-1200
Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum
MS 101, fol. 18v

Gaudenzio Ferrari, Saint Anne Consoled by a Woman
From Scenes from the Life of the Virgin
Italian, c. 1544-1545
Milan, Pinacoteca di Brera

Gaudenzio Ferrari, The Annunciation to Joachim and Anne
From Scenes from the Life of the Virgin
Italian, c. 1544-1545
Milan, Pinacoteca di Brera


The Meeting at the Golden Gate

Master of Joachim and Anne, The Meeting at the Golden Gate
Flemish, c. 1470
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Meister des Marienslebens, Joachim and Anne, The Meeting at the Golden Gate
German, c. 1470-1480
Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek

This picture shows several episodes in the life of Saint Joachim, leading up to his meeting with Saint Anne at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem.  In the background we see Joachim with the sheep and in the middle ground Joachim receiving the news of Mary's coming birth from an angelic messenger.  

Luca Signorelli, The Meeting at the Golden Gate
Italaian, c. 1490
Private Collection
Like the picture above, this painting tells the story of Joachim's despair. and eventual reunion with Saint Anne.  In the right background we see Joachim being cast out of the temple as unworthy, in the far left we see him in the fields with his shepherds and sheep, at the near right we see him receiving the annunciation of his daughters future birth from an angel and at the near right we see him reunited with his wife at the Golden Gate.

The Birth of Mary

Master Henri, Birth of the Virgin
From Livre d'images de Madame Marie
Flemish (Hainaut), c. 1285-1290
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS  Nouvelle acquisition francaise 16251, fol. 19



Master of the Roman de Fauvel, Birth of the Virgin and the Presentation of Mary in the Temple
From Speculum historiale by Vincent of Beauvais
French (Paris), c.. 1333-1334
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 316, fol. 291v


Jean le Noir and Workshop, Birth of the Virgin
From the Breviary of Charles V
French (Paris), c. 1364-1370
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Latin 1052, fol. 497r


Birth of the Virgin
From the Breviary of Martin d'Aragon
Spanish (Catalan), c. 1398-1403 and 1420-1430
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Rothschild 2529, fol 381v



Andrea di Bartolo, Birth of the Virgin
Italian, c. 1400-1405
Washington, National Gallery of Art


Birth of the Virgin
From Fleur des histoires by Jean Mansel
Flemish (Bruges), c. 1450-1475
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francais 297, fol. 1r
Through what looks like an open door to the outside world, we see the earlier episode of the angel's annunciation of Mary's birth to her father, Joachim.  Perhaps the artist wanted to transform this earlier episode into one contemporary with the birth itself, making the angel into a different kind of messenger.


Master of the Ango Hours, Birth of the Virgin
From a Prayer Book
French (Rouen), c. 1515-1525
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Nouvelle acquisition latine 83, fol. 20v
This image combines an account of Mary's birth with a contemporary donor image.  As Joachim offers prayers of thanksgiving in the left background and Saint Anne washes her hands with the help of a maid, the contemporary donor prays before the infant Mary, shown swaddled in the arms of her nurse.  The frame of this image reads Jesus My Hope.  The words directly below the image are the opening words of the devotion of the Hours of the Office. 



Episodes from the Life of Saint Anne
Russian, 17th Century
Philadelphia,  Museum of Art
Although the center of this Russian icon is the birth of Mary, it includes other scenes from the lives of Saints Anne and Joachim, including a scene of them just sitting and talking.

Presentation of Mary in the Temple

Andrea di Bartolo, Presentation of Mary in the Temple
Italian, c. 1400-1405
Washington, National Gallery


Master of the Erfurter Regleraltars, Presentation of Mary in the Temple
German, c. 1440
Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek

Saint Anne as Teacher

Jean Bourdichon, Education of the Virgin
From Grandes heures d'Anne de Bretagne
French (Tours), c. 1503-1508
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Latin 9474, fol. 197v



Jean Guilhomet, known as Jean de Chartres, Education of the Virgin
French, c. 1515-1516
Paris, Musée du Louvre



Francisco Camilo, Saint Anne, Saint Joachim and the Virgin
Spanish, 1652
Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado

Giuseppe Mazzuoli, Education of the Virgin
Italian, c. 1700
Cleveland, Museum of Art

Education of the Virgin
German, c. 1720
Rohr in Niederbayern, Former Augustinian Monastic Abby Church of the Assumption


Anne, the Root of the Tree of Salvation


Saint Anne with Mary and the Christ Child (Anna Selbdritt)
German, c. 1500
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters Collection


Follower of Hans Memling, Anna Selbdritt
German, c. 1480
Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemăldesammlungen-Alte Pinakothek


Anna Selbdritt
Flemish, c. 1620
Beningbrough, York (UK), National Trust, Beningbrough Hall


Saint Anne, Grandmother


Jean le Noir and Workshop, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne
From the Breviary of Charles V
French (Paris), c. 1364-1370
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Latin 1052, fol. 434v



Madonna and Child with Saint Anne
Spanish, Late 15rh Century
Paris, Musé du Louvre



Rueland Frueauf the Younger, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne and Saints Leopold, Ulrich, Andrew and Donor
German, c. 1500-1510
Vienna, Belvedere Museum

Holy Family with Saints Anne and Joachim
Center panel of The Boppard Altarpiece
German, c. 1510-1520
London, Victoria and Albert Museum

Master of Frankfurt, The Holy Trinity with Saint Anne and the Virgin Mary
Flemish, c. 1511-1515
Washington, National Gallery of Art
More than a simple Madonna and Child with Saint Anne, this image represents the Holy Trinity of God the Father, the Infant Jesus and the Holy Spirit.  

Joos van Cleve, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne
Flemish, c. 1516
Ferrara, Pinacoteca Nazionale-Gallerie Estensi

Ambrosius Benson, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne
Flemish, c. 1525-1530
Edinburgh, National Galleries of Scotland

Ambrosius Benson, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne
Flemish, c. 1525-1550
Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado

Antiveduto Grammatica, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne
Italian, c. 1614-1617
Glasgow, Museums Resource Center



Saint Anne with Her Three Daughters
English, 15th Century
Boston, Museum of Fine Arts

Jacques de Besancon, Tree of Jesse with Scenes from the Life of Saint Anne
From Legenda aurea by Jacques de Voragine
French (Paris), c. 1480-1490
Paris, Bibliotheque nationale de France
MS Francaise 245, fol. 84
This family tree of the Virgin Mary begins with Jesse, who is shown lying down, and continues through David and the kings who succeeded him, to more humble folk and culminates in Saints Joachim and Anne, with the depiction of their meeting at the Golden Gate.from which came Mary and her divine Child.  Below the tree are shown the birth of Mary and Saint Anne being visited by her three daughters and their children,   Mary stands at the center of the group, wearing blue and holding the boy Jesus by the hand.  


Circle of the Master of the Holy Family with Saint Anne, Holy Kindred
Flemish, c. 1500-1510
Ghent, Museum of Fine Arts


Virgin and Child with Saints Anne, Elizabeth and John the Baptist
Franco-Flemish, c. 1500
Philadelphia, Museum of Art


Johann von der Leyten, Holy Kindred
German, 1511
Marburg, Elisabethkirche


Anton Wönsam, Holy Kindred
German, c. 1530
Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum+Fondation Corboud


Jean Le Tavernier of Audenade, Anna Selbdritt with Praying Donor
From the Hours of Charles Le Clerc
Flemish (Ghent), c. 1425-1450
London, British Library
MS Additional 19416, fol. 181r

Master of 1518, Virgin & Child with Saints Anne and Augustine and a Cleric
Flemish, c. 1510-1520
Paris, Musée du Louvre



Master of the Ango Hours, Saints Joachim and Anne with a Donor
From a Prayer Book
French (Rouen), c. 1515-1525
Paris, Bbiliotheque nationale de France
MS Nouvelle acquisition latine 83, fol. 18v
Here the same contemporary donor who paid homage to the Birth of Mary (above) also kneels in homage to Mary's parents.

Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder. Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, Saint Gereon and a Donor
German, c. 1520
Chicago, Art Institute

Images of the Extended Holy Family

These images are related to the images of the Holy Kindred, which represents the entire extended family of Saint Anne, as legend describes it, but their subject is different.  They are more intimate representations of the nuclear Holy Family with the addition of one or both of Mary's parents and relatives and sometimes other, unrelated, figures.  

Circle of the Master of the Holy Family with Saint Anne, Holy Family with Saints Joachim and Anne, Barbara and Catherine
Flemish, c. 1500-1510
Ghent, Museum of Fine Arts

Holy Family with Saint Anne
Flemish, c. 1500
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Diego de Pesquera, Holy Family with Saints Anne and Joachim
Spanish, c. 1567-1568
New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art

Vicente Carducho, The Holy Family with Saints Anne and Joachim
Spanish, 1631
Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado

Anonymous, Holy Family with Saints Anne and Joachim
Austrian, c. 1650
Vienna, Belvedere Museum

Franz Anton Maulbertsch, Holy Family with Saints Joachim and Anne
Austrian, c. 1755
Vienna, Belvedere Museum

Felix Ivo Leicher, Holy Family with Saints Joachim, Anne, Elizabeth, John the Baptist and Zacharias
Austrian, 1770
Vienna, Belvedere Museum


Mystical Reflections

Images such as these show Saints Anne and Joachim contemplating the mystery of the destiny of their daughter and only child, as the Woman of the Apocalypse.

Stefano Pozzo, Anne and Joachim Receive a Vision of  the Virgin Mary
Italian, c. 1750-1762
Windsor, Royal Collection Trust
Though related to the theme of the angelic announcement of Mary's impending birth, this image also falls into the category of  Mystical Reflection because the angel shows them a vision of Mary as the Woman of the Apocalypse.

Prayer to Saint Anne

"O glorious St. Ann, you are filled with compassion for those who invoke you and with love for those who suffer! Heavily burdened with the weight of my troubles, I cast myself at your feet and humbly beg of you to take the present intention which I recommend to you in your special care.  

G. Gierke, St. Anne
German, 1869
Donsbrueggen (Kleve), Parish
Church of St. Lambert
Saint Anne
German, c. 1720
Regensburg, Catholic Parish Church
of Saint Mary (Formerly Cistercian Convent)


Please recommend it to your daughter, the Blessed Virgin Mary, and place it before the throne of Jesus, so that He may bring it to a happy issue. Continue to intercede for me until my request is granted. But, above all, obtain for me the grace one day to see my God face to face, and with you and Mary and all the saints to praise and bless Him for all eternity. Amen."

James Tissot, Saint Anne
French, c. 1886-1894
New York, Brooklyn Museum


Good Saint Anne, Pray for Us.



























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