The Holy Family

Francesco Vecellio was the elder brother of Titian and an accomplished painter in his own right, active in Venice and the Veneto in the first half of the sixteenth century. This Holy Family, dated 1522 and held at the National Galleries Scotland in Edinburgh, reflects the profound influence of Titian's early manner while demonstrating Francesco's quieter, more devotional temperament. The Holy Family was one of the most common subjects of the period, produced for private devotion and small domestic chapels. Francesco's status as Titian's brother has sometimes overshadowed his considerable independent achievement.

The Holy Family is grouped with intimate warmth, the figures close and softly lit in a manner recalling Titian's early sacred compositions. The colour is characteristically Venetian — warm reds, blues, and flesh tones in rich but harmonious combination.