Artwork
Die Heilige Anna Selbdritt
Die Heilige Anna Selbdritt is a paint painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Cornelis Engebrechtsz.. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Gemäldegalerie Berlin.
About this work
Overview
Cornelis Engebrechtsz., an early‑Renaissance painter active in Leiden around 1500, produced the panel Die Heilige Anna Selbdritt. The work presents Saint Anne together with the Virgin Mary and the infant Christ, arranged in a quiet, domestic setting. Today the painting belongs to the collection of the Gemäldegalerie in Berlin.
Subject & Meaning
Saint Anne, clothed in a dark green mantle, cradles the Christ Child, while Mary, in red and white garments, watches with a tender expression.
The composition illustrates the traditional “Anna Selbdritt” motif, in which the matriarchal trio is shown in an intimate moment. Saint Anne, clothed in a dark green mantle, cradles the Christ Child, while Mary, in red and white garments, watches with a tender expression. The focus on the baby and the careful rendering of the women's faces emphasize familial devotion and the theological link between generations.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on panel, Engebrechtsz. employs a restrained palette of muted greens, reds, and gold highlights. The figures are modeled with fine brushwork that captures delicate skin tones and the texture of fabric. A decorative gold pattern in the background adds a subtle ornamental touch, characteristic of Northern Renaissance attention to detail and symbolic embellishment.
History & Provenance
Created at the turn of the 16th century, the painting reflects Engebrechtsz.’s role as Leiden’s first notable artist and his influence on later Dutch painters. After remaining in private or ecclesiastical hands for several centuries, the panel entered the Berlin Gemäldegalerie’s collection, where it is displayed as part of the museum’s Northern Renaissance holdings.
Artist & collection
Artist
Cornelis Engebrechtsz., also known as Cornelis Engelbrechtsz. (c.1462–1527) was an early Dutch painter. He was born and died in Leiden, and is considered the first important painter from that city. Engebrechtsz. taught…
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