Life of Joachim and Anne: Parents of the Virgin Mary in Art

Saint Joachim and St Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary and grandparents of Jesus Christ, are central figures in Christian tradition and art. Their story is not found in the standard Bible and canonical Gospels, but it was frequently portrayed in art from the late medieval and Renaissance periods.

Giotto’s fresco Meeting at the Golden Gate in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua is one of the most famous portrayals in art of Joachim and Anne, the parents of the Virgin Mary

The Life of Joachim and Anne: Parents of the Virgin Mary

Events in the lives of Joachim and Anne are recounted primarily in the Protoevangelium of James, a 2nd-century apocryphal gospel that provides the earliest narrative of Mary’s birth and early years. Despite its non-canonical status, this text profoundly shaped medieval devotion and Christian iconography.

According to tradition, Joachim and Anne were a devout and elderly couple living in Jerusalem, long childless and burdened by shame in a culture that saw barrenness as a sign of divine disfavor. Joachim, a wealthy herdsman, attempted to make a temple offering but was rejected by the high priest because he had no offspring. Distraught, he retreated to the wilderness to fast and pray. At the same time, Anne remained in her garden, mourning her fate and pleading with God.

In a moment of divine intervention, an angel appeared separately to both Joachim and Anne, announcing that they would conceive a child through God’s grace. Overjoyed, the two met at the Golden Gate of Jerusalem, where they embraced in a moment that has become iconic in Christian art, symbolizing the immaculate conception of Mary. Their daughter would be consecrated to God from birth and raised in the temple—a sign of her unique role in salvation history.

Joachim and Anne are celebrated not only as the progenitors of the Virgin Mary but as models of faithful endurance and divine reward. Their story affirms the power of prayer, the dignity of old age, and the mysterious unfolding of God’s plan through humble, ordinary lives. In the liturgical calendar, the feast day of Saints Joachim and Anne is observed on July 26.

St Joachim and St Anne in Art

Giotto's fresco cycle begins on the uppermost register of the south and north walls, narrating the life of the Virgin Mary, starting with her parents, Joachim and Anne

Throughout centuries of Christian art, from mosaics to frescoes, the story of Joachim and Anne has been a rich source of imagery, particularly the Meeting at the Golden Gate, a moment of joy, reconciliation, and divine promise. Artists have depicted their lives to explore themes of faith, infertility, divine intervention, and the sacred lineage of Christ.

The most commonly illustrated scenes from their lives include:

The Expulsion of Joachim from the Temple, due to his childlessness
Joachim’s retreat to the wilderness and angelic annunciation
Anne’s similar vision, often while praying in a garden
The Meeting at the Golden Gate, where Joachim and Anne embrace after learning of the miraculous conception
The Birth of the Virgin, a domestic and tender moment

Giotto’s fresco cycle in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, near Venice in Italy, is probably the most famous and most complete portrayal in art of the story of St Joachim and St Anne.

Giotto’s fresco cycle in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, near Venice in Italy, is probably the most famous and most complete portrayal of the story of St Joachim and St Anne. (Although it is not particularly difficult to secure time slots, tickets for the Scrovegni Chapel must be bought at least a day in advance!)

In art, the story serves as a prelude to the Incarnation, setting the theological foundation for Mary’s purity and divine purpose. From Romanesque sculpture to Renaissance frescoes, their narrative allowed artists to explore rich emotional scenes within family and spiritual life. The Meeting at the Golden Gate, in particular, became a beloved symbol of marital fidelity and hope for couples praying for children.

Giotto: Meeting at the Golden Gate

Giotto’s fresco Meeting at the Golden Gate in the Scrovegni Chapel in Padua, depicting St Joachim and St Anne, is often considered the first kiss in Renaissance art, or even the first emotive kiss in Western painting. It marks a turning point: the beginning of art that sees love not only as a symbol, but as a human experience.

It is, of course, not the first kiss ever painted in Western art, as scenes of betrayal (like Judas kissing Christ) appear earlier in manuscripts and frescoes. However, it is arguably the first romantic or marital kiss portrayed with such psychological subtlety and physical realism.

Important Artworks Depicting Joachim and Anne

Tornabuoni Chapel in Santa Maria Novella, Florence, is decorated with art on the lives of Joachim, Anne, the Virgin Mary, and John the Baptist

During the Renaissance, artists like Giotto and Ghirlandaio brought new naturalism and intimacy to these episodes. Anne, in particular, emerged as a symbol of maternal virtue, becoming a focus of devotion in her own right. By the Baroque era, scenes of Anne instructing Mary gained popularity, emphasizing education, lineage, and piety.

Even in modern times, the Life of Joachim and Anne continues to inspire, offering a narrative of faith rewarded, human longing fulfilled, and divine purpose unfolding across generations.

Top Artworks Depicting Joachim and Anne

Giotto – Life of Joachim and Anne
Scrovegni Chapel (Arena Chapel), Padua, Italy
(c. 1305) – Includes “Expulsion of Joachim,” “Meeting at the Golden Gate,” and others.
Domenico Ghirlandaio – Birth of the Virgin
Tornabuoni Chapel, Santa Maria Novella, Florence, Italy
(c. 1486–90) – Anne in a richly detailed domestic scene, and other events.
Master of the Life of the Virgin – Joachim’s Sacrifices
Alte Pinakothek, Munich, Germany
(c. 1460) – Part of a larger Marian cycle in Gothic style.
Albrecht Dürer – Life of the Virgin (woodcut series)
Various museums, including the Albertina, Vienna
(c. 1500–1511) – Includes Anne and Joachim’s story with sharp detail.
Jacopo di Pontormo – Meeting at the Golden Gate
Church of Santissima Annunziata, Florence, Italy
(c. 1520s) – A mannerist reinterpretation of the reunion scene.
Andrea della Robbia – Birth of the Virgin (glazed terracotta relief)
Museo dell’Opera del Duomo, Florence, Italy
(c. 1480) – A delicate rendering in ceramic.
Peter Paul Rubens – St. Anne Teaching the Virgin
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, Brussels
(c. 1625) – A tender portrayal of Anne as a teacher.
Geertgen tot Sint Jans – Birth of the Virgin
Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, Netherlands
(c. 1490) – A Northern Renaissance gem.
Filippo Lippi – Meeting at the Golden Gate
Museo Civico, Prato, Italy
(mid-15th century) – Soft lines and Florentine grace.
Murillo – The Education of the Virgin
Louvre Museum, Paris, France
(c. 1655) – A popular Spanish Baroque image.
Piero della Francesca – Legend of the True Cross (includes Joachim)
San Francesco, Arezzo, Italy
(c. 1452–66) – Though not directly focused on Anne, the narrative interweaves their lineage.
Jean Bellegambe – Holy Kinship (Anne with extended family)
Musée de la Chartreuse, Douai, France.
(early 16th century) – A celebration of Anne’s family ties.

Virgin and Child with Saint Anne

Da Vinci: Saint Anne Virgin Child painting in the Louvre

Portrayals of Anne with Mary and Jesus as a baby are more common and also popular in sculpture. In German, this is referred to as the Anna Selbdritt, in Italian as Anna Metterza, and in French as Anne Trinitaire.

The most famous Virgin and Child with Saint Anne work of art is probably the Da Vinci painting now in the Louvre. In Florence, a large sculpture is on the ground floor of the Orsanmichele, while smaller sculptures and woodcarvings are in many Roman Catholic churches and chapels in Europe.