The Holy Family with the Infant John the Baptist

The Holy Family is gathered outdoors beneath a massive, knotted tree that dominates the center of the composition. The infant John the Baptist, holding a reed cross, leans in to kiss the Christ Child, who sits on Mary's lap holding a small bunch of cherries. In the background, a cat climbs through a window on the left, while the foreground contains a vase of lilies and a basket with sewing tools.

This print is part of Goltzius's 'Meisterstiche' series, in which he demonstrated his 'Protean' ability to perfectly mimic the styles of other great masters—in this case, the elegant, elongated forms of Parmigianino. This concept of the artist as a shapeshifter or Proteus reflects Mannerist philosophical interests in the nature of imitation, artifice, and the divine creative spark.