Holy Kinship

Abstract

The altar of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne, together with the twin altar of Saint Joseph, was created at the beginning of the 18th century, before 1728. The title painting in the altar of Saint Joachim and Saint Anne presents a youthful Mary in the company of her parents, Anne and Joachim, i.e. an iconographic theme called the Holy Kinship. Unfortunately, the author is unknown. Although the painting appears to be contemporary in terms of form, the research carried out during the last restoration of the altar has shown that it was not originally intended for it. It was re-cropped and adapted to the dimensions of the hole in the altar in question. Mary was portrayed as a young girl equipped with the attributes of Our Lady of the Immaculate Conception. The snake at her feet refers to the words in the Book of Genesis announcing the coming of Christ: "And I will put enmity between you and the woman, and between your offspring and hers; he will crush your head, and you will strike his heel" (Gen 3:15).