La Sacra Familia – Engraving by Joaquim Pi i Margall after Juan de Juanes, 1871

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Finely executed 19th-century engraving by Joaquim Pi i Margall, based on a painting by the Spanish Renaissance master Juan de … Read more Finely executed 19th-century engraving by Joaquim Pi i Margall, based on a painting by the Spanish Renaissance master Juan de Juanes. The composition was drawn by José Fernández Olmos in 1865 and commissioned by the Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando in Madrid. This print was part of the Academy’s prestigious series of engravings after works in its painting collection and was officially published in 1871. The Academy paid Pi i Margall 1,800 reales for this engraving, a testament to its significance and quality.

The scene, titled La Sacra Familia (The Holy Family), presents the Virgin Mary tenderly holding the Christ Child, accompanied by Saint Joseph and young Saint John the Baptist, who holds a scroll reading "Ecce Agnus Dei." The cross in the background foreshadows Christ's Passion. The engraving showcases the refined linework and devotional sensitivity typical of both Juanes’ original painting and Py Margall’s skilled interpretation.

Artist (original): Juan de Juanes (ca. 1523–1579)
Draftsman: José Fernández Olmos (active mid-19th century)
Engraver: Joaquim Pi i Margall (Barcelona, 1830 – Madrid, 1891)
Commissioned by: Real Academia de Bellas Artes de San Fernando
Date of Drawing & Engraving: 1865
Date of Publication: 1871
Origin / Provenance: Spain
Medium: Copperplate engraving on laid paper, with original tissue guard
Condition: Very good condition considering its age. Light foxing along the margins, more noticeable on the right and lower edges. Image area clean and sharply printed. Retains its original protective tissue paper overlay, rare and desirable in historical prints. Wide margins preserved.
Measurements: 31.4 × 45.1 cm (12 ⅜″ × 17 ¾″)

Why This Piece Stands Out:
• Historical engraving commissioned by Spain’s foremost fine arts institution
• Based on a work by Juan de Juanes, one of Spain’s leading Renaissance painters
• Signed by three contributors: painter, draftsman, and engraver
• Includes rare original protective tissue overlay
• A museum-worthy piece for collectors of Spanish art, religious imagery, or academic engravings See less