The Holy Family
A short post showing the completion of a recent commission of the Holy Family
Upon researching this icon, it is unclear to trace it’s lineage or it’s place in Orthodox tradition. Some deem it heretical, others embrace it. It seems to be of Catholic origin, yet found its way into Orthodox iconography. There are some examples of it completed in the traditional iconographic method. The heresy behind this depiction of the Holy Family is based primarily on the subordination of Saint Joseph and his contribution, and the undermining of the virginity of the Mother of God. I shan’t delve too deeply on the subject here, but if you are curious about the heretical understanding of this icon, an essay can be read here.
Is this extreme? Personally I find this a bit too cutesy for an icon…. It makes me think of those wonderfully cheesy 80s and 90s family portraits.
I suppose it could be a lot worse……
When it came to this commission, being aware of the implications of the embracing family, I thought I would take cues from Aidan Hart’s marvellous composition of the Holy Family.
Taking the idea of the table as the central unit, I of course thought of the Trinity. To say it went on to be inspired by the Trinity is an understatement… I certainly don’t want to make any parallels of thought or theology in this depiction. I was more so drawn to the unity and harmony of the masterfully composed Trinity. Particularly the dynamic around the table, thinking of the table as a central part of the family, I thought this would be a strong backbone to the composition. Another aspect of the Trinity which I thought important to include is the chalice type frame, it is that reminder of Christ’s sacrifice, and the eucharist.
The icon is not something to be decoded. It is an event that is to be contemplated, experienced and internalised. I don’t wish to come across too psychological when describing the thoughts behind this icon, yet I feel some description is necessary as it is an imagined event within the account of the life of Christ. We can only speculate what the family life may have looked like, there isn’t much information at all about the early years of Christ, and certainly no detailed description of how the Mother of God may have mothered Christ and how Joseph supported them. One intention with this was the thought of a moment in their daily life foretelling of what’s to come, the eternal meal shared at the table, shown with the bread and the chalice of wine.
I’m going to sound like a broken record every time I mention the Romanesque… Perhaps I need a swear jar to put a pound in every time I type it. But needless to say, I of course turned to the beloved Romanesque period for inspiration in regards to drapery.
Below shows the gradual emergence of the carving in oak.
If you would like to commission a carving of any size, do get in touch with me through my website: ewancraig-art.com
I would love to see this carving in Alabaster as well. Side by side they comment on each other exquisitely. Perhaps if the Orthodox could look at The Holy Family in the way I described, they would not consider it “heretical”. It’s only when you confuse them with a natural family that heresy becomes a worry.
I caught the resemblance to your Trinity icon immediately. I think the Holy Spirit was guiding you. St. John Paul II speaks of the family as the primordial sacrament. He explains that God built a trinitarian system in the family so that all of humanity could have a concrete example of what the trinitarian love of God looks like. The love of a man and a woman united in the marital embrace have the capacity to bring forth new life. Of course this is an imperfect image of God as all material examples are. However, it is the closest and most intimate expression of trinitarian love since we all originate in this manner, at least before IVF, surrogacy, and artificial insemination. This is the primary reason the Church condemns these modalities of conception because it is not in accordance with natural law and it destroys that trinitarian expression that images God.
St. John Paul II describes the Trinity as God The Father pouring out his love to the Son whom he eternally generates and God the Son, in turn, pouring out his love to The Father. This love between Father and Son spirates the third person of the Trinity, The Holy Spirit.
Of course The Holy Family didn’t follow the natural pattern. They were a family of supernatural design. I think this is the main reason some Orthodox decry the image of the Holy Family. However, when looking at the image from the supernatural plane and remembering that each member of The Holy Family were and remain virgins. The Love that they shared corresponds more closely to the three persons of the Trinity and image for us the kind of love we will be able to share when we are swept up into beatitude and share in the Divine Life of The Trinity.
We can all share a foretaste of the Divine Life when partaking of The Holy Eucharist. Indeed, in Holy Communion God’s Holy Family is enlarged and we are allowed to share in The Divine Life of The Holy Trinity at the same table.
Beautiful work; I love the Romanesque influence.