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Old Masters paintings, 16th, 17th and 18th furnitures and works of art
Adriaen van Stalbemt (Antwerp, 1580–1662)
Virgin and Child in a Landscape
Oil on panel, 49 x 77 cm
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary with the Child Jesus surrounded by angels, set against a wooded landscape in the foreground. The Virgin Mary is seated on the left side of the composition, holding the Child Jesus on her lap. Both figures are surrounded by halos. Around them is a group of angels, some winged, others in the form of naked cherubs, arranged in a circle and engaged in gestures of offering, presentation or adoration.
The scene takes place in dense undergrowth, marked by large trees with thick foliage that frame the composition and create a shady atmosphere. The landscape opens up in the background onto a valley crossed by a stream, with hills and lighter vegetation, suggesting spatial depth.
The ground in the foreground is enlivened by varied vegetation: flowers, low plants and foliage are rendered with precision and arranged decoratively. The light, which is more intense on the holy figures, contrasts with the shaded areas of the landscape, accentuating their presence. The whole combines an intimate religious scene with an abundant natural setting, in a composition that strikes a balance between figures and landscape.
Adriaen van Stalbemt was a painter renowned for his landscapes depicting religious, allegorical or mythological scenes. After fleeing the city for religious reasons, he returned to Antwerp in 1609 during the Twelve Years' Truce. He was admitted as a master of the Guild of Saint Luke in Antwerp in 1610. He worked on commissions for the art dealer Peter Goetkint II, for whom he painted small cabinet paintings. His technical mastery often led him to collaborate with other masters, notably to paint the figures in their paintings.
