Christ in the House of Mary and Martha

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Christ in the House of Mary and Martha: Johan Vermeer

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Art Type: Oil Painting
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Johan Vermeer Oil Painting - Christ in the House of Mary and Martha

Keywords: Christ, House, Mary, Martha

Work Overview: Christ in the House of Martha and Mary
Artist Johannes Vermeer
Year 1655
Medium Oil on canvas
Dimensions 160 cm × 142 cm (63 in × 56 in)
Location Scottish National Gallery, Edinburgh

Christ in the House of Martha and Mary is a painting finished in 1655 by the Dutch painter Johannes Vermeer. It is housed in the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh. It is the largest painting by Vermeer and one of the very few with an overt religious motive. The story of Christ visiting the household of the two sisters Mary and Martha goes back to the New Testament.[1] The work has also been called Christ in the House of Mary and Martha (reversing the last two names).

The pigment analysis of this painting[3] reveals the use of the pigments of the baroque period such as madder lake, yellow ochre, vermilion and lead white. Interestingly enough Vermeer did not paint the robe of Christ with his usual blue pigment of choice ultramarine (see for example The Milkmaid) but with a mixture of smalt, indigo and lead white.

This is certainly the largest and one of the earliest surviving paintings by Vermeer. It is also his only known work of a biblical subject. St Luke’s Gospel tells of Christ’s visit to the sisters’ house. Christ praised Mary’s willingness to sit and listen to his teachings, unlike Martha who was preoccupied with housekeeping. The strong play of shadow and light, the characterisation of the figures and broad handling of paint were probably inspired by the work of artists from Utrecht, who in turn were influenced by Caravaggio’s art. Given the unusual size and subject-matter it is likely that the painting was a specific commission.

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