Artwork
Coronation of the Virgin
Coronation of the Virgin is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Adriaen van der Werff. It dates from 1713 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Technique & Style
As a religious painting from the early 18th century, it reflects the artist's characteristic handling of oil paint on a rigid wooden support.
Adriaen van der Werff's Coronation of the Virgin, executed in 1713, is an oil painting on panel. The work measures 81.6 cm in height and 57.7 cm in width. As a religious painting from the early 18th century, it reflects the artist's characteristic handling of oil paint on a rigid wooden support.
The piece remains part of the Bavarian State Painting Collections, specifically housed in the Alte Pinakothek, having originated from the Electoral Gallery Düsseldorf collection.
History & Provenance
Adriaen van der Werff's Coronation of the Virgin was painted in 1713. The work was commissioned by Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, who also owned the finished panel. Following its creation, the painting entered the collection assembled by Johann Wilhelm, which subsequently formed part of the Electoral Gallery in Düsseldorf. It is now held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections and is located at the Alte Pinakothek.
The painting Coronation of the Virgin by Adriaen van der Werff is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich. It is part of the Electoral Gallery Düsseldorf and the former collection of Johann Wilhelm, Elector Palatine, who commissioned the work in 1713. The artwork was originally owned by the Elector Palatine before entering the state collections.
No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available sources. Furthermore, the provided documentation does not list any exhibition history for this work.
Overview
Adriaen van der Werff’s Coronation of the Virgin (1713) is an oil on canvas that presents the Virgin Mary being crowned in a celestial setting. The composition centers on a kneeling Mary, robed in soft blues and pinks, surrounded by a host of angels and cherubs, all illuminated by a warm golden glow against a darkened sky.
Subject & Meaning
The work visualizes the traditional Christian motif of Mary’s coronation, symbolizing her exalted status as Queen of Heaven. By placing her on a cloud and surrounding her with radiant angels, van der Werff emphasizes divine approval and the spiritual serenity associated with Marian devotion, inviting contemplation of her role in salvation history.
Context
The painting reflects the late Baroque transition toward Rococo, a period when religious subjects were rendered with lighter palettes and ornamental elegance. Van der Werff’s treatment of the coronation aligns with contemporary tastes for graceful, idealized figures, while still adhering to the devotional conventions of Catholic iconography.
Artist & collection
Artist
Adriaen van der Werff (21 January 1659 – 12 November 1722) was a Dutch painter of portraits and erotic, devotional and mythological scenes.
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God Holds Adam and Eve Responsible
A Nymph Dancing to a Shepherd's Flute-Playing
The Holy Family
Bubble-blowing Girl with a Vanitas Still Life
Virgin and Child with Saint John (chalk sketch)
Self-portrait with the Portrait of his Wife, Margaretha van Rees, and their Daughter Maria
Portrait of Johann Wilhelm Elector of Palatine (1658-1716)
Assumption of Mary
The Immaculate Conception
Coronation of the Virgin Mary
The Annunciation
Assumption of the Virgin
The Virgin of the Immaculate Conception
The Assumption of the Virgin
La Asunción y Coronación de la Virgen
The Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception
The Immaculate Conception- The Coronation of the Virgin