Artwork
Anna en Joachim. In de achtergrond: de verkondiging aan Joachim en de ontmoeting van Anna en Joachim bij de Gouden Poort
Anna en Joachim. In de achtergrond: de verkondiging aan Joachim en de ontmoeting van Anna en Joachim bij de Gouden Poort is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Cornelis van Coninxloo. It dates from 1526 and is held in the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium.
About this work
Overview
Cornelis van Coninxloo’s oil painting, dated 1526, depicts the biblical figures Anna and Joachim. The composition places the couple in the foreground, while the background alludes to two pivotal moments: the angelic announcement to Joachim and the couple’s encounter at the Golden Gate.
Subject & Meaning
The work visualizes the narrative of Anna and Joachim, parents of the Virgin Mary, emphasizing themes of divine promise and marital devotion. By juxtaposing the annunciation scene with their meeting, the artist underscores the providential origins of the Virgin’s lineage.
Technique & Style
Executed in oil on canvas, the painting exhibits the early‑Renaissance attention to detail characteristic of Coninxloo’s oeuvre. Fine brushwork renders the figures’ garments and the architectural elements of the Golden Gate, while a subtle tonal palette creates depth between foreground and background.
History & Provenance
Created in 1526, the painting entered the collection of the Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium, where it remains on display. Its acquisition reflects the museum’s focus on early Netherlandish religious art.
Artist & collection
Museum
Royal Museums of Fine Arts of Belgium
Continue through works from the same source collection.
Christ driving the money-changers from the Temple
The Parable of the Wise and the Foolish Virgins
Diptych: Calvary and Virgin with Child, Saint Philip and the donor
Virgin and Child under a Canopy
The adoration of the kings
The large Adoration of the Kings
Mary with Child, St. Maria Magdalena and founder (separate outside, Inv. No. 7713)
The Altar of the Three Kings
Een stichterspaar en hun kinderen in aanbidding voor de H. Hieronymus. In de achtergrond taferelen uit het leven van Hieronymus
Alexandru cel Mare și Diogene
Enthroned Madonna and Child with Angel- Het Laatste Avondmaal met de stichter