Artwork
Garland of flowers surrounding the Virgin and Child
Garland of flowers surrounding the Virgin and Child is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Younger. It is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work’s iconography reflects Counter-Reformation ideals, where floral motifs served as both aesthetic embellishment and theological meditation.
The painting depicts the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, framed by a lush garland of flowers. The floral arrangement encircles the central figures, emphasizing their sacred status and evoking themes of purity and transience. The inclusion of seasonal blooms, such as roses, lilies, and tulips, carries layered symbolism: roses often denote Mary’s virtues, while lilies signify her purity.
The garland’s ephemeral beauty underscores the fragility of life, subtly referencing the Passion of Christ and the promise of redemption.
The composition aligns with the devotional tradition of the Madonna and Child, using natural abundance to elevate the sacred subject. The work’s iconography reflects Counter-Reformation ideals, where floral motifs served as both aesthetic embellishment and theological meditation.
Technique & Style
Executed in 1711, this religious painting by Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Younger utilizes oil paint applied to a canvas support. The work measures 190 cm in height and 135 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition features a floral garland framing the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child, adhering to the conventions of religious art from the period.
History & Provenance
The painting was created in 1711 by Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Younger as an oil on canvas work. It entered the Bavarian State Painting Collections and has been displayed at the Alte Pinakothek in Munich since its acquisition.
The composition shows the Virgin Mary holding the Christ Child, framed by a garland of assorted flowers.
The painting Garland of flowers surrounding the Virgin and Child is held by the Bavarian State Painting Collections. It resides specifically within the Alte Pinakothek museum in Munich. The work was created in 1711.
No specific inventory or accession number is provided in the available records, nor is there any documented exhibition history for this piece.
Overview
Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Younger, a Flemish painter active in the early 1700s, completed a work in 1711 that combines a devotional image with an elaborate floral frame. Executed in oil, the composition places the Virgin holding the infant Christ at its centre, surrounded by a dense wreath of blossoms, vines and berries that form a decorative border.
Context
During the late Baroque period, Flemish workshops often paired specialist still‑life painters with figure artists to produce hybrid works that satisfied both devotional and decorative tastes. Gillemans the Younger’s contribution reflects this collaborative tradition, merging his expertise in botanical detail with a narrative scene.
Artist & collection
Artist
Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Younger
Jan Pauwel Gillemans the Younger (Antwerp, baptized 3 September 1651 - Antwerp, buried 20 March 1704) was a Flemish still life painter.
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