The late Middle Ages saw a tremendous growth of towns and cities. Christian values were of great importance in keeping the population in these overcrowded towns and cities in check. Ideals and values were derived from religious images and the Holy Family was regarded as the ideal model family! These wings of a triptych made by an unknown painter from Tyrol are a beautiful example of this. The Holy Family, on their flight into Egypt, are portrayed in a landscape. That is a quite novel thing to do, as they used to be painted in a house interior setting. Take a closer look at the lion lying in the foreground and the little birds in the bushes. The other panel shows Josef, humbly seated on the ground beside Mary, who is busily spinning with a drop spindle, the baby Jesus radiating from within her belly. Above them Christ beams down on them, blessing them, a cross in his aura and a globe in his hand. For all this homely intimacy we should of course not forget that the child in Mary’s belly is The Redeemer of Mankind. Mark, too, the angels making music.

For more information on the attribution of these two panels to a painter from Tyrol, press A. For more information on how one knew on the Holy Family, press B.

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