Bonifacio Veronese “Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist, Tobias and the Archangel Raphael” Ambrosiana Gallery Pinacoteca in Milan Italy

Bonifacio Veronese (1487-19 October 1553) “Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist, Tobias and the Archangel Raphael”

Painting - Oil on Canvas (116 x 152 cm) 1525-1527

Bonifacio Veronese, Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist, Tobias and the Archangel Raphael, Ambrosiana Gallery Pinacoteca in Milan Italy

Holy Family Bonifacio de Pitati, known as Bonifacio Veronese, was born in Verona in 1487, hence his nickname, “Veronese”.

His works are now exhibited worldwide at the Hermitage Museum in Saint Petersburg, the Louvre and numerous Italian museums, including the Ambrosiana in Milan and Venetian churches and museums.

In 1505, he left Verona for Venice, where he lived until he died in 1553.

In Venice, Bonifacio Veronese was a pupil of Palma the Elder and became his co-worker until he died in 1528.

Holy Family At the beginning of the 16th century, their workshop was one of the most important in Venice.

As a result, Bonifacio Veronese's studio attracted young talents such as Antonio Palma the Younger, Jacopo Bassano and Tintoretto.

The “Holy Family with Saint John, Tobias and the Archangel Raphael” by Bonifacio Veronese is atypical compared to the usual depictions of Holy Families where the Child Jesus is always in Mary's arms.

Here, Joseph carries Jesus and looks at him with tenderness while playing with one of his little feet.

Holy Family Marie shows tenderness for her husband by gently placing one of her hands on his shoulder while offering him an apple with the other.

At the feet of the couple, the young Saint John the Baptist, half-dressed in camel skin, carries the high martyrdom cross and holds in his left hand a banner with the words:

“Ecce Agnus”, meaning “here is the Lamb” ... of God.

Here, Saint John the Baptist does not look at Jesus but turns his head to Tobias Tobias, who runs up bringing a fish, accompanied and supported by the Archangel Raphael.

Bonifacio Veronese respects traditional iconography here, which shows Tobias carrying a fish in his left hand while Raphael, winged, holds his right arm.

Holy Family They are also accompanied by a dog whose head can be seen in the lower right corner of the table, the only dog mentioned in the Bible being neither impure nor ferocious.

Recall that the fish carried by Tobias was to be used to heal his father Tobit from blindness, using the bile, heart and liver of said fish, and the Archangel Raphael had been sent by God to protect young Tobias during his journey.

This “Holy Family with Saint John the Baptist, Tobias and the Archangel Raphael” by Bonifacio Veronese offers a beautiful picture rich in colour and superbly executed while introducing a personal vision based on well-respected religious symbolism.

Holy Family