Christ in the house of Martha and Mary

A young maiden grinds some garlic along with other ingredients scattered on the table: fish, eggs, a chilli pepper and, possibly, inside the pottery, there is olive oil. An older woman at her side instructs her, scolding her for overwork or drawing her attention to the scene in the upper right-hand corner. This scene is taken from the New Testament (Luke 10:38-42). However, the main action of the composition is in the foreground and Velázquez used the biblical scene as an excuse to depict an everyday scene in 17th-century Spain.

Collection: Images

Project: 10. Churches and religions in Europe.

Chronology: XVII

Scope: Secondary Education, Baccalaureate, University

Link: https://www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/diego-velazquez-christ-in-the-house-of-martha-and-mary

Resource type: Image

Format: Oil on canvas (60 x 103,5 cm)

Source: National Gallery of London (Londres)

Language: English

Date: 1618

Owner: Álvaro Romero González (Modernalia)