Five centuries later, family still feels like home: the J. Paul Getty Museum presents “The Holy Family at Home”, on view September 22, 2026 through January 10, 2027 at the Getty Center (West Pavilion, Plaza Level — and admission is always free).
The centerpiece is the museum’s own recent acquisition: “The Holy Family” (c. 1520) by Flemish master Gerard David (c. 1460–1523), purchased in December 2023. Around 1500, Northern European artists painted the Virgin Mary, the Christ Child and St. Joseph as a loving family in cozy domestic interiors — the sacred made tender and everyday.
The exhibition pairs the paintings with illuminated manuscripts of the period, revealing how late-medieval culture celebrated family bonds. Look closely at Joseph: David reimagines him as a caring, hands-on father — in the panel he holds a lidded bowl to keep the child’s meal warm.
Mark your calendar for the related talk “The Holy Family Goes Viral” on November 7 at the Getty Center.
A gentle, heartwarming stop in Los Angeles — proof that love at home never goes out of style.
Photo: Wikimedia Commons — Gerard David, The Holy Family (c. 1520), public domain
