Madonna with child and Saint John the Baptist

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Pieter van Avont
Madonna with child and Saint John the Baptist
c. 1640

About the Item

The Madonna and Child with the Infant Baptist, surrounded by angels Oil on panel, 56 x 84 cm Provenance Erfurt, private collection Maria and the Child sit in front of a group of trees. An angel hands an apple to Jesus. He is joined by a group of three other angels who point to the lamb at their side. On the lower left we see two angels sitting by a fruit basket. A distant landscape view is depicted to the right. Pieter van Avont was born as the son of Hans van Avont in Mechelen. Little is known about his move to Antwerp, his early years in this town, and/ or his apprenticeship. His later stylistic features suggest an influence of the circle of Peter Paul Rubens and Jan Brueghel, in 1622 Pieter is mentioned in the registers of the Saint Luke Guild as a free master. In the same year he became a citizen of Antwerp. Within a short period of time, Pieter van Avont established a well-known and productive business - Frans Wouters being one of his best known pupils. Pieter often cooperated with other artists such as Jan Brueghel the Younger, Lucas van Uden and Wenzel Hollar and he would create and insert figures in their landscape scenes or still-lifes. Pieter van Avont was a responsible citizen of Antwerp; from 1632 to 1634 he was member of the renowned rhetoric circle “De Violieren”. Many of his paintings were engraved by Wenzel Hollar, Paul Pontius and other artists. Pieter van Avont is well-known as painter of figures. His presentation of the figures, their delicately drawn faces and their nuanced gestures and facial expressions were highly esteemed. Paintings with the depiction of the Holy Family were among his favorite subjects. He varied these compositions e.g. with varying backgrounds, groups of figures and incorporated diverse religious messages. The present painting is a typical example of Pieter van Avont’s style. It can be dated to c. 1630. The detailed depiction of the trees and the precise drawing of nearly every leaf are astonishing. Besides that, the view of the distant landscape is impressively painted; the colours underline the composition’s softness and atmosphere. Regarding the figures, van Avont’s characteristic style can be observed: the angles are rather chubby, though their faces seem comparatively aged and Mary’s face is depicted in a fine and elegant manner. Interestingly, the present painting offers a number of symbolic clues: The angels’ mature faces refer to their eternal age. The apple which is given to Christ by an angle is the symbol of the fall of mankind and of the original sin. Thus Christ is shown as the “new Adam” who will overcome the original sin and will redeem mankind by his crucifixion. This is the reason why the second angel appears sorrowful: he already knows Christ’s fate. The lamb represents the Lamb of God (Agnus Dei) and thus the sacrifice for mankind. The flag with the cross symbolizes victory over death and resurrection. Both, lamb and flag, are furthermore attributes of St. John the Baptist but we can only assume that one of the angels might as well be interpreted as this saint. Finally the fruit basket has a religious meaning: it stands for love and fertility. The apple or pomegranate and the ivy are both symbols for the resurrection. Plums represent the Passion of Christ and the grapes refer to the Eucharist. Summing up, one can see that the most important messages of Christian Belief are depicted: The incarnation of Christ and the salvation of mankind through crucifixion and resurrection. Works by Pieter van Avont are kept in Antwerp, St. Jacob, in Vienna, Kunsthistorisches Museum and in Munich, Alte Pinakothek.

Creator:
Pieter van Avont (1600 - 1652, Flemish)
Creation Year:
c. 1640
Medium:
Oil
Movement & Style:
Baroque
Period:
18th Century and Earlier
Condition:
Framed.
Gallery Location:
Greven, DE
Reference Number:
1stDibs: LU446273892

Madonna with child and Saint John the Baptist

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Recently Viewed

Pieter van Avont
Madonna with child and Saint John the Baptist
c. 1640

Giovanni Battista Viola
Two Scenes of Diana and Actaeon (a pair)

Simon de Vos
Christ Carrying the Cross, Old Master, Flemish, De Vos, Religious Scene, Rubens, 1635

Julius Bayer
Path by the sea. 1869. Oil on Canvas, 31x53 cm, 1869