Dutch school (XVII) - Virgin Annunciate

italian school— The Virgin Annunciate — Large devotional painting, possibly an altarpiece 17th century

Oil on canvas
Unframed: 115 × 77 cm (height × width)
Including frame: 135 × 97.5 cm (height × width) with the frame.

A large seventeenth-century devotional painting, traditionally identified as the Virgin Annunciate (Virgo Annuntiata). The veiled figure is depicted with lowered eyes and her hands crossed over her breast, wearing red garments beneath a sweeping grey-blue mantle. Light and putti above complete the devotional composition.

Its substantial dimensions and religious subject suggest that the painting may originally have served as an altarpiece or formed part of a chapel setting. This original function has not been documented.

Related composition and attribution history

The figure follows the same composition as a smaller painting documented in the RKD image archive under the name Aelbert Jansz. van der Schoor (Utrecht, in or before 1603 – after 1672), RKDimages reference 637121.

The Phillips auction catalogue reproduced in that record, dated 16 February 1993, lists the smaller painting as lot 126, The Magdalen, attributed to “Abraham van der Schoor”, Dutch School, circa 1650. Its dimensions are 67 × 55.5 cm.

Peter van den Brink discusses an apparently corresponding painting of the same dimensions in “Aelbert Jansz. van der Schoor, een Utrechts schilder en zijn werk”, Jaarboek Oud-Utrecht, 1998, catalogue entry R4, entitled Boetwaardige Maria Magdalena. He records an earlier withdrawn offering at Phillips, London, on 20 October 1992, lot 115, and explicitly rejects the attribution to Van der Schoor as unfounded. No alternative artist or school is proposed in that entry.

The smaller version could derive from the present painting, or both could follow a shared prototype; their chronological relationship has not been established. The present work is therefore offered without a confirmed attribution to an individual artist. Its traditional identification as the Virgin Annunciate should also be distinguished from the historical identification of the smaller version as Mary Magdalene.

Condition

The canvas has been relined and is mounted on a later pine stretcher. Age-related craquelure is visible throughout, together with a few small, localised paint losses and superficial scratches. The varnish has yellowed a tiny bit and would benefit from professional cleaning.

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In our opinion, the painting appears more Italian than Netherlandish in character. The porcelain-like flesh tones, idealised facial features and flowing drapery suggest an affinity with Italian devotional painting of the seventeenth century.

Please examine all photographs carefully, including the reverse and condition details, as these form part of the description.

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Collection and specialist transport

This painting cannot be shipped by regular post or standard parcel service.

Collection by appointment is available. Specialist art transport can be arranged through Easy2send, the service we work with for deliveries throughout Europe. Buyers may alternatively arrange their own transport.

Within the Netherlands, we can also deliver the painting ourselves at an attractive rate, depending on the destination.

Transport costs are payable by the buyer and quoted separately. Please contact us before bidding for a delivery quotation.