# The Holy Family on the Steps, in French classicism

Nicolas Poussin painted this in 1648, aged 54. It is now at the Cleveland Museum of Art.

From the museum's label:

> This deceptively simple composition represents a complex meditation on the Holy Family’s role in the redemption of humanity. At the center, Mary presents the Christ child to the world.

_Text from the Cleveland Museum of Art._

[Read the full label](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/the-holy-family-on-the-steps-cma-150389#about-work)

## The work

- Date: 1648
- Medium: oil on canvas
- Dimensions: Framed: 103.5 x 135.3 x 13.3 cm (40 3/4 x 53 1/4 x 5 1/4 in.); Unframed: 73.3 x 105.8 cm (28 7/8 x 41 5/8 in.); Former: 72.3 x 104 cm (28 7/16 x 40 15/16 in.)
- Type: Painting
- Courtesy of the Cleveland Museum of Art, 1981.18
- Licence: CC0 1.0

## The artist

[Nicolas Poussin](https://www.ochreeditions.com/artists/nicolas-poussin), French, 1594–1665

Poussin left Normandy for Paris and in 1624 settled in Rome, where he spent almost all his career.

6 works in the collection.

## Walk on

- [More by Nicolas Poussin](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/artist/nicolas-poussin?hang=749) (6 works)
- [More paintings of the 17th century](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/style/painting-17?hang=749) (168 works)
- [17th-century France](https://www.ochreeditions.com/galleries/era/17-france?hang=749) (30 works)

## Get it

- [Print this work](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/the-holy-family-on-the-steps-cma-150389#print)
- Free download, full resolution: https://img.ochreeditions.com/m/714.jpg?dl=1
- [The work's page](https://www.ochreeditions.com/art/the-holy-family-on-the-steps-cma-150389)