Diego Quispe Tito – The Holy Family in Nazareth

With Koen Fillet and Dr Katharina Van Cauteren, chief of staff of The Phoebus Foundation Chancellery.

In this episode of the Phoebus Focus podcast, Quispe Tito’s ‘Holy Family in Nazareth’ takes center stage. Katharina Van Cauteren and Koen Fillet explore the fascinating connections between a painting from a brand-new world and a print from a much older one. Holy Family bridges two cultures: the thinking of the Jesuits and the heritage of the Incas. What follows is a story about artistic and cultural legacies.

Diego Quispe Tito, The Holy Family in Nazareth, c. 1675. Religious scene depicting Mary, Joseph, and the Christ Child in a carpenter’s workshop, assisted by angels, rendered in rich colors and decorative patterns characteristic of colonial Andean art. — Diego Quispe Tito, *Holy Family in Nazareth*, c.1675

Hiëronymus Wierix,Jesus Gathers Up Chips of Wood while Saint Joseph Chops Tree Trunks and Mary Winds Thread, c. 1600. Finely detailed engraving of the Holy Family in a domestic workshop scene, showing Joseph as a carpenter, Mary spinning yarn, and the Christ Child collecting wood shavings. — Hieronymus Wierix, *Jesus Gathers Up Chips of Wood while Saint Joseph Chops Tree Trunks and Mary Winds Thread*, c.1600

Hiëronymus Wierix, Jesus Sweeps the Floor while Saint Joseph Splits a Beam and Mary Cooks, c. 1600. Finely detailed engraving of the Holy Family in an interior, showing Jesus measuring and assisting, Joseph working wood, and Mary cooking at the hearth, emphasizing labor, order, and domestic virtue. — Hieronymus Wierix, *Jesus Sweeps the Floor while Saint Joseph Splits a Beam and Mary Cooks*, c.1600

Hiëronymus Wierix, Jesus Helps Saint Joseph Saw while Mary Spins, c. 1600. Finely detailed engraving of the Holy Family in an outdoor carpentry scene, showing Joseph and Jesus working wood while Mary sits spinning, accompanied by angelic children. — Hieronymus Wierix, *Jesus Helps Saint Joseph Saw while Mary Spins*, c.1600
Amsterdam, Rijksmuseum

Want to know more? Discover the accompanying Phoebus Focus publication.

Phoebus Focus