Christ is Born as Man's Redeemer: Detail, the Marriage of the Virgin
South Netherlandish, 1500-1520
In the collection of the Bishop of Burgos, Spain, soon after completion
Wool and silk
The Cloisters, New York City
Medieval marriages took place outside the door of a church, so here Mary and Joseph are seen with the priest in front of a temple-like structure. Instead of the usual joining of right hands, they put all four hands together.
Similar images from this period usually make Joseph an old man, but in this image he seems especially so.
View this image in full resolution.
View the entire tapestry.
Read more about images of the Marriage of the Virgin.
Read more about images of the Nativity
Photographed at the Cloisters by Richard Stracke, shared under Attribution-NonCommercial-ShareAlike license.