Saint Joseph and the Sleeping Christ Child

Museum record 148802: Saint Joseph and the Sleeping Christ Child by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. A verified entry point for discovery.

What to notice

For Saint Joseph and the Sleeping Christ Child (record 148802), start with modern, expressive, atmospheric. Compare the focal subject, edge treatment, and atmosphere before moving on.

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A rare but poignant scene of fatherhood, this sheet depicts the rough and bearded Joseph looking helplessly down at the sleeping, recumbent form of the Christ child; his thoughts could be dwelling on how he will be unable to protect his son from the sacrifice he would have to make. Saint Joseph was especially popular in 17th-century Counter-Reformation Spain, as he was reputed to have helped heal Saint Teresa of Ávila’s paralysis. This tender picture is one of only about 70 known autograph drawings by Ba…