Artwork
The archangel Gabriel appearing to Zacharias
The archangel Gabriel appearing to Zacharias is an oil painting by the Dutch Golden Age artist Nicolaes de Giselaer. It dates from 1625 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The work belongs to the religious genre of 17th‑century Dutch painting and was created by Nicolaes de Giselaer in 1625, now housed in the Rijksmuseum.
The painting shows the archangel Gabriel announcing to the elderly Zacharias the forthcoming birth of John the Baptist, a moment drawn from the biblical Annunciation narrative. Gabriel is identified by his traditional attributes of lilies and a scroll, signifying purity and divine message, while Zacharias' reaction conveys astonishment at the prophetic revelation. The composition underscores the theological significance of the announcement as a precursor to the Incarnation, linking Old Testament prophecy with New Testament fulfillment.
The work belongs to the religious genre of 17th‑century Dutch painting and was created by Nicolaes de Giselaer in 1625, now housed in the Rijksmuseum.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint on panel, a support combination typical of small-scale Dutch cabinet pictures of the period. Its modest dimensions, 33.4 cm in height by 54.9 cm in width, and horizontal format suit the intimate, narrative treatment of the biblical subject. The painting is classified as a religious work depicting the Annunciation of the birth of John the Baptist to Zechariah, with the archangel Gabriel as the principal figure.
History & Provenance
The painting was created by Nicolaes de Giselaer in 1625, as indicated by the artist’s inscription and the canonical date in the Rijksmuseum’s records.
It entered the Rijksmuseum collection as property of Abraham Bredius, whose ownership is documented in the museum’s provenance files. Bredius, a prominent Dutch art historian and collector, later donated or bequeathed the work to the Rijksmuseum, where it has been held since at least the early 20th century.
The work is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, Amsterdam, where it is inventoried as SK-A-1689.
It was included in the exhibition “Rembrandt and His Pupils: Drawings and Etchings” at the Fogg Art Museum, Harvard University, Cambridge, Massachusetts, in 1969.
Overview
Nicolaes de Giselaer painted The archangel Gabriel appearing to Zacharias in 1625. Executed in oil on canvas, the work belongs to the Dutch Golden Age and is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection. It portrays the biblical moment when the angel announces the future birth of John the Baptist to the priest Zechariah, set within an interior space.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Nicolaes de Giselaer, also Nicolaes de Geijselers, Nicolaes de Geyselers, Nicolaas de Gijselaer, Nicolaas de Gijzelaer, Nicolaes de Gyselaer, Nicolaas de Gyzelaer, Nicolaes de Ghyselaer (1583–1647) was a Dutch painter and draughtsman.
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