Marriage of the Virgin and Saint Joseph

The source of this representation of the marriage of Mary and Joseph is not in the canonical gospels, but in apocryphal texts that were supplemented by pious writings. Thanks to these referents, the theme became popular in religious art since the Middle Ages, and it is common to find it in colonial painting.

As it is told, on her fourteenth birthday, Mary was summoned by the high priest who, in accordance with Jewish law, arranged her marriage. For this, it was decided that the unmarried and widowed descendants of King David would present themselves at the temple with a plant stick to deposit it on the altar. The owner of the stem that bloomed would be the chosen one.

Between the figures of Mary and Joseph we see the high priest, dressed in the clothing corresponding to his rank. This character occupies the center of the composition, from where he blesses the union of the Holy Family.


The bride and groom hold their hands, next to them we see some witnesses of the bond.

As was usual in many colonial images, this composition is based on an engraving made from a painting by Peter Paul Rubens (1577-1640). The central figures, as well as their gestures and clothing, were taken from the original Flemish image. However, in Rubens’ painting, as well as in his derived engravings, the Temple of Jerusalem is evoked and the procession that accompanies the bride and groom is much more crowded than the one seen in the oil painting from the Museum.