HB 13 The Holy Kinship

This monumental triptych is in fact a family portrait. It depicts Anna’s family, Anna being the mother of Mary. She was married three times, no less. We here see her three husbands, her children, her sons-in- law and her grandchildren, among all of these, of course, Mary, Josef and Jesus. Such a depiction was called a Holy Kinship. Mary’s parents, Joachim and Anna, are not mentioned in the bible, but in the Middle Ages Anna’s background was getting more and more important. For she was the woman who had raised Mary, who could therefore become the mother of Christ. This notion led to a growing interest in Anna and her family. Anna’s second husband, the middle one of the three men, right in the centre panel, is looking away from the scene he is part of. He has a rather pronounced facial expression, which sets him apart from the other depicted persons. He may well have been the painter himself.

For more information on the depicted scene , press A For more information on the golden spandrels, press B

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For centuries, Huis Bergh Castle was the ancestral castle of the powerful Van den Burgh counts. The castle's building history dates back to the 12th century. Jan Herman van Heek, an industrialist from Enschede, purchased the castle in 1912. He amassed a collection of late medieval artworks that are on display in the castle even today. There is also the possibility to have your (wedding)party here or stay the night in one of the luxury suits in a former defense tower.