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Artwork

The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina

Master of the St. John's Altarpiece , 1500

The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina, by Master of the St. John's Altarpiece, oil, 1500
The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina, by Master of the St. John's Altarpiece, oil, 1500

The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina is an oil painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Master of the St. John's Altarpiece. It dates from 1500 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum. Created around 1500, this oil painting attributed to the Master of the St.

About this work

Subject & Meaning

The primary figures of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child are accompanied by Saint Anne, establishing a multi-generational holy lineage.

Created around 1500 by the Master of the St. John's Altarpiece, this oil painting on panel presents a complex religious grouping centered on the Madonna and Child. The primary figures of the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child are accompanied by Saint Anne, establishing a multi-generational holy lineage. Distinctive to this composition is the inclusion of Saint Francis and Saint Lidwina alongside unidentified donor figures, integrating specific saintly intercessors with the patrons who commissioned the work.

As a piece of religious art, the iconography serves to visualize the connection between the divine family and the faithful, represented here by the donors and their chosen saints.

Technique & Style

The work is executed in oil on wood panel, measuring 55.5 by 53.5 centimeters. The composition depicts the Virgin seated with the Christ Child on her lap, accompanied by Saint Anne, donor figures, and Saints Francis and Lidwina. Formal analysis highlights a centralized, intimate grouping and a restrained palette that emphasizes the sacred narrative.

Overview

Created around 1500, this oil painting attributed to the Master of the St. John’s Altarpiece presents a devotional grouping centred on the Virgin Mary and the Christ Child. The work is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection and measures the typical dimensions of a late‑Renaissance altarpiece, combining sacred figures with the portraiture of contemporary patrons.

History & Provenance

The work was produced for a private or ecclesiastical commission in the early sixteenth century, likely intended for a chapel altar. It entered the Rijksmuseum’s holdings in the twentieth century, where it has been catalogued as an example of the Master of the St. John’s Altarpiece’s oeuvre, contributing to the museum’s representation of Netherlandish religious painting.

Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, Saint Gereon, and a Donor
Virgin and Child with Saint Anne, Saint Gereon, and a Donor, Bartholomaeus Bruyn the Elder

Artist & collection

Artist

Master of the St. John's Altarpiece

This Dutch painter created a single large altarpiece in the late 1400s, blending Northern European detail with early Renaissance clarity.

Rijksmuseum

Museum

Rijksmuseum

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VISUALLY SIMILAR

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This work is in the public domain (CC0). Image source: Rijksmuseum open access. Spotted an error in this record? Tell us.In the collection of Rijksmuseum. Compiled & edited by , Editor & Founder.

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Frequently asked questions

Who painted The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina?

The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina was painted by Master of the St. John's Altarpiece in 1500-01-01.

Where can I see The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina?

The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina is held by Rijksmuseum.

What movement is The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina?

The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina is associated with Northern Renaissance.

Can I buy a print of The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina?

Museum-quality prints of The Virgin and Child with St Anne, donors and Sts Francis and Lidwina are available made-to-order from Artifact World Gallery.