Triptych with the Virgin and Child and saints (centre panel), the donor with St Martin (inner left wing), the donor’s wife with St Cunera (inner right wing) and the Annunciation (outer wings)

Created in 1500, this oil‑on‑panel triptych belongs to the Northern Renaissance and is attributed to the anonymous Master of Delft, an artist active in the Low Countries between roughly 1490 and 1520. The work is composed of a central image of the Virgin and Child with saints, two inner wings showing donor portraits with their patron saints, and outer wings illustrating the Annunciation. It is part of the Rijksmuseum’s collection.

The central panel presents the Virgin enthroned with the infant Christ, surrounded by a group of saints whose identities are suggested by their attributes. On the inner left wing, the city’s burgomaster Dirck Dircksz van Beest Heemskerck appears beside Saint Martin, while the inner right wing shows his wife accompanied by Saint Cunera. The outer wings frame the narrative with scenes of the Angel Gabriel’s announcement to Mary, linking the donors’ piety to the biblical episode.

The piece reflects the transitional phase of Dutch art at the turn of the 16th century, when the detailed realism of the Early Netherlandish tradition began to merge with emerging Renaissance influences. The presence of donor portraits alongside saints follows a common practice of the period, emphasizing personal devotion and social status.