St. Anne Teaching the Virgin to Read

Oil on canvas

Church of San Giuseppe alla Lungara, Rome

This painting is unlike any other I have seen of Anne teaching Mary to read.  In the others, the Virgin is always a child and the two are alone.  Here Mary is a young adult and St. Joseph is present, looking up at the putti.  The painting hangs in a church dedicated to St. Joseph, which may explain these unusual features.

More of St. Anne

Photographed at the site by Richard Stracke