Christmas - Holy Family, Parish Church Waldhausen in Strudengau

Light and shadow create a mood-filled contrast in this portrait. The excerpt from the painting on the Christmas stamp depicts Mary and Joseph with the newborn baby Jesus.

The Baroque oil painting from the 17th century is by an unknown South German artist. It is the main image above the Marian altar in the side aisle of the Gothic parish church of Waldhausen in the Mühlviertel region, dedicated to Saint John the Baptist. Mary looks tenderly at her son, whom Joseph cradles in a cloth. Jesus holds a white lily, the Christian symbol for purity, and above the brightly illuminated small family, angels hover. The valuable painting was stored in an unnoticed location until 1957; during renovation works, it was restored, framed with an ornate Baroque frame, and placed above the statue of the Madonna on the Marian altar. A maximum card will also be issued alongside the commemorative stamp.