Mérode Altarpiece
The Mérode Altarpiece is a triptych painting (a painting divided into three different sections) by the Flemish painter, Robert Campin. The Mérode Altarpiece depicts the Virgin Mary being told by Saint Gabriel of her bearing of Jesus Christ. Each panel depicts a different room in Mary and Saint Joseph's house. The right panel shows Saint Joseph making mousetraps in his workshop. While the left displays two donors (the people who most likely paid for the painting to be commissioned) witnessing the Annunciation themselves. A messenger stands in the background of the left panel and many believe him to possibly be a self-portrait of Campin. The messenger and female donor appear to have been added after the paintings first completion. Scholars speculate they were added because the male donor got married and wanted to add his wife to the painting.
There is much symbolism in the painting, as well. One example would be the scroll and book in front of Mary symbolizing the Old and New Testament. Mary is also sitting on the floor which symbolizes her humility. In the right panel, Saint Joseph, always known as a carpenter, is constructing a mouse trap, symbolizing Jesus's trapping and eradication of the devil.
There is much symbolism in the painting, as well. One example would be the scroll and book in front of Mary symbolizing the Old and New Testament. Mary is also sitting on the floor which symbolizes her humility. In the right panel, Saint Joseph, always known as a carpenter, is constructing a mouse trap, symbolizing Jesus's trapping and eradication of the devil.
Robert Campin
Known as the 'Master of Flémalle", Robert Campin is widely considered to be the first painter to master the art of Flemish. For a long time, another Northern Renaissance painter, Jan Van Eyck, was thought to have been the artist of Campin's paintings, until the 20th century when a paper was discovered that led scholars to believe that Cmapin was in fact the true "Master of Flémalle". He was one of the first painters to use oil-based colors to acquire the vividness that is seen in other Renaissance works and is known for the great detail in his paintings.
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Why I Chose this Piece of Work
When I saw this painting in class while we were studying the different pieces of artwork from the renaissance, I decided I liked the painting. I liked it because of the colors and the uniqueness of it being painted in three different panels. I don't know of any other painting that is painted in this style (however, I'm sure there are some out there), and I was intrigued because of it.
Modern Art Comparison
Name: "Annunciation after Titan"
Artist: Gerhard Richter
Date: 1973
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I chose this piece of modern art simply because it contains the exact same scene as the Mérode Altarpiece, Mary's Annunciation. However, Mary's Annunciation is displayed a little differently between the two because of the change of view between artists.
Artist: Gerhard Richter
Date: 1973
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I chose this piece of modern art simply because it contains the exact same scene as the Mérode Altarpiece, Mary's Annunciation. However, Mary's Annunciation is displayed a little differently between the two because of the change of view between artists.