Adriaen van Stalbemt (Antwerp 1580 - Antwerp 1662)

Virgin and Child in a landscape

Adriaen van Stalbemt (Antwerp 1580 - Antwerp 1662)

Virgin and Child in a landscape

49 x 77 cm (19 ¹/₄ x 30 ¹/₄ inches)
Oil on panel
17th century

DESCRIPTION +

The painting depicts a Virgin and Child surrounded by angels, set in the foreground of a wooded landscape. The Virgin Mary is seated on the left side of the composition, holding the Christ Child on her lap. Both figures are shown with haloes. Around them unfolds a group of angels, some winged, others in the form of nude putti, arranged in a circle and engaged in gestures of offering, presentation, or adoration.
The scene takes place in a dense woodland, marked by tall trees with thick foliage that frame the composition and create a shaded atmosphere. The landscape opens in the background onto a valley crossed by a stream, with hills and lighter vegetation, suggesting spatial depth.
The foreground is enlivened by a varied vegetation: flowers, low plants, and foliage are rendered with precision and arranged in a decorative manner. The light, more intense on the sacred figures, contrasts with the shaded areas of the landscape, enhancing their presence. The overall composition combines an intimate religious scene with an abundant natural setting, achieving a balanced relationship between figures and landscape.

Adriaen van Stalbemt