The Holy Family with St John the Baptist

Battista Franco Veneziano also known by his correct name of Giovanni Battista Franco (before 1510 – 1561) was an Italian Mannerist painter and printmaker in etching, active in Rome, Urbino, and Venice in the mid 16th century. He is also known as il Semolei or just Battista Franco. Native to Venice, he came to Rome in his twenties. From 1545–51 he painted in Urbino. He may have been one of the mentors of Federico Barocci. His painting, in the Mannerist style, was heavily indebted to Michelangelo; but his drawings and etchings have far more verve and originality. This etching depicts the Holy Family with St John the Baptist. Rather unusually the dominant figure of the two children is St John, who plays with the dignified, seated figure of the Virgin Mary. Jesus rather charmingly mimics the sleeping figure of Joseph on the right.

The engraving is part of the Old Master print collection in the so-called King George IV album, aquired by the Dominion Museum, forerunner of Te Papa, in 1910.

Dr Mark Stocker      Curator, Historical International Art            March 2017