The Holy Family with St John, St Elisabeth and the Angels

Oil sketch, with the signature and date inscribed on the back; Mary sits in front of a straw hut and - in spite of the unruly Christ child - reads a book held by the small John on St Anne's lap; she is in the act of turning round and staring at the angels who float down bearing flowers and fruits; two taller angels are singing by the Child, a third one, being of female form, plays the harp; on the right, St Joseph with his saw sits under a rafter roof and points to the sky; in the background, a Roman temple can be seen through a gateway; remains of columns are placed in the foreground; the exaggerated and affected movements as well as the polychrome colouring show the painter as a pupil of the Italian mannerists.