Christ and John the Baptist as Children, Joos van Cleve, Circa 1530

The two kissing babies are jesus and his six-month older nephew john. The encounter is not described in the bible. The event is based on apocryphal writings and medieval legends that tell of the flight into egypt and the return of the holy family. The medallions refer to stories from classical antiquity. The medallions on the left with antigone and oedipus depict the love between parents and child. The medallions on the right with dido and aeneas symbolize the love between man and woman. The two children kissing connect biblical and humanistic views on the family. This made the composition also popular with collectors with an interest in mythology. Object Type: painting. Genre: religious art. Date: Circa 1530. Place of creation: Southern Netherlands. Dimensions: height: 39 cm (15.3 in); width: 58 cm (22.8 in). Medium: oil on panel. Collection: Museum Catharijneconvent. MCC-72404 Christus en Johannes de Doper als kinderen (2)