Holy Family In The Carpenter Shop

This beautiful painting by Dutch painter Gerrit Van Honthorst is an incredible portrayal of mastery of light employed by Gerrit Van Honthorst, which he learned while visiting Italy in the early 17th century. Taking his style from Caravaggio and enhancing it to the point where Italian masters began to call him a "Candlelight Painter." 

This scene is a beautiful scene capturing The Holy Family in St. Joseph's workshop.

For the viewer the primary, gripping element is the effect of light in the painting. Mary, Joseph, and Christ are gathered in a plain, dark room with a soft, warm light illuminating their forms from out of the darkness. Honthorst's proficiency and sensitivity are noted in his ability first to concentrate the most intense light on the arms of Christ and Joseph and then subtly diffuse the beam as it stretches away from the light source. The emotional effect of the soft lighting is heightened by the characters' gentle, loving facial expressions as well as the simple, natural portrayal of their manner. Christ holds the oil lamp while Mary carefully steadies His hand in order to position the flame for Joseph to see his work and to prevent Jesus from burning Himself.

The meaning evoked by the light is as equally compelling as the painterly technique. Although Christ is but a child in the scene, the lamp which He grasps metaphorically alludes to the declaration of an adult Christ, "I am the light of the world: he that follows me shall not walk in darkness, but shall have the light of life" (John, 8:12). Scripture further describes Christ in these words: "In him was life; and the life was the light of men. And the light shines in darkness; and the darkness comprehended it not" (John, 1:4-5).