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| Luca Giordano, Saints Anne and Joachim Italian, c. 1690-1692 Gaeta, Church of the Annunciation |
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.
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."
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
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| Joachim and Anne Before the High Priest From Vita Christi English, c. 1190-1200 Los Angeles, J. Paul Getty Museum MS 101, fol. 18v |
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| Gaudenzio Ferrari, Saint Anne Consoled by a Woman From Scenes from the Life of the Virgin Italian, c. 1544-1545 Milan, Pinacoteca di Brera |
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| 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
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| Master of Joachim and Anne, The Meeting at the Golden Gate Flemish, c. 1470 Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum |
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| 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. |
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| 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.
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The Birth of Mary
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| 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 |
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| 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
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| Andrea di Bartolo, Birth of the Virgin Italian, c. 1400-1405 Washington, National Gallery of Art
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| 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.
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Presentation of Mary in the Temple
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| Andrea di Bartolo, Presentation of Mary in the Temple Italian, c. 1400-1405 Washington, National Gallery |
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| Master of the Erfurter Regleraltars, Presentation of Mary in the Temple German, c. 1440 Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemäldesammlungen, Alte Pinakothek |
Saint Anne as Teacher
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| 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 |
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| Jean Guilhomet, known as Jean de Chartres, Education of the Virgin French, c. 1515-1516 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Francisco Camilo, Saint Anne, Saint Joachim and the Virgin Spanish, 1652 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Giuseppe Mazzuoli, Education of the Virgin Italian, c. 1700 Cleveland, Museum of Art |
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| 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
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| Saint Anne with Mary and the Christ Child (Anna Selbdritt) German, c. 1500 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art, the Cloisters Collection |
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| Follower of Hans Memling, Anna Selbdritt German, c. 1480 Munich, Bayerische Staatsgemăldesammlungen-Alte Pinakothek |
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| Anna Selbdritt Flemish, c. 1620 Beningbrough, York (UK), National Trust, Beningbrough Hall |
Saint Anne, Grandmother
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| 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 |
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| Madonna and Child with Saint Anne Spanish, Late 15rh Century Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| Rueland Frueauf the Younger, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne and Saints Leopold, Ulrich, Andrew and Donor German, c. 1500-1510 Vienna, Belvedere Museum |
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| Holy Family with Saints Anne and Joachim Center panel of The Boppard Altarpiece German, c. 1510-1520 London, Victoria and Albert Museum |
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| 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. |
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| Joos van Cleve, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne Flemish, c. 1516 Ferrara, Pinacoteca Nazionale-Gallerie Estensi |
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| Ambrosius Benson, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne Flemish, c. 1525-1530 Edinburgh, National Galleries of Scotland |
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| Ambrosius Benson, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne Flemish, c. 1525-1550 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Antiveduto Grammatica, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne Italian, c. 1614-1617 Glasgow, Museums Resource Center |
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| Saint Anne with Her Three Daughters English, 15th Century Boston, Museum of Fine Arts |
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| 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. |
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| Circle of the Master of the Holy Family with Saint Anne, Holy Kindred Flemish, c. 1500-1510 Ghent, Museum of Fine Arts |
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| Virgin and Child with Saints Anne, Elizabeth and John the Baptist Franco-Flemish, c. 1500 Philadelphia, Museum of Art |
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| Johann von der Leyten, Holy Kindred German, 1511 Marburg, Elisabethkirche |
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| Anton Wönsam, Holy Kindred German, c. 1530 Cologne, Wallraf-Richartz-Museum+Fondation Corboud |
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| 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 |
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| Master of 1518, Virgin & Child with Saints Anne and Augustine and a Cleric Flemish, c. 1510-1520 Paris, Musée du Louvre |
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| 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. |
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| 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.
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| 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 |
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| Holy Family with Saint Anne Flemish, c. 1500 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Diego de Pesquera, Holy Family with Saints Anne and Joachim Spanish, c. 1567-1568 New York, Metropolitan Museum of Art |
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| Vicente Carducho, The Holy Family with Saints Anne and Joachim Spanish, 1631 Madrid, Museo Nacional del Prado |
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| Anonymous, Holy Family with Saints Anne and Joachim Austrian, c. 1650 Vienna, Belvedere Museum |
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| Franz Anton Maulbertsch, Holy Family with Saints Joachim and Anne Austrian, c. 1755 Vienna, Belvedere Museum |
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| 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.
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| 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.
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| G. Gierke, St. Anne German, 1869 Donsbrueggen (Kleve), Parish Church of St. Lambert |
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Saint Anne German, c. 1720 Regensburg, Catholic Parish Church of Saint Mary (Formerly Cistercian Convent) |
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| James Tissot, Saint Anne French, c. 1886-1894 New York, Brooklyn Museum |
Good Saint Anne, Pray for Us.
