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Late Imitator of Rogier van der Weyden, 'The Virgin and Child with an Angel in a Landscape', possibly about 1530

Key facts
Full title The Virgin and Child with an Angel in a Landscape
Artist Late Imitator of Rogier van der Weyden
Artist dates about 1399 - 1464
Date made possibly about 1530
Medium and support oil on wood
Dimensions 23.7 × 16.7 cm
Acquisition credit Bought, 1854
Inventory number NG2157
Location Not on display
Collection Main Collection
The Virgin and Child with an Angel in a Landscape
Late Imitator of Rogier van der Weyden
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This small arched painting shows the Virgin Mary and Christ Child seated in a landscape. Christ, balanced on the Virgin’s knee, reaches out to take something – probably a flower – that is being offered to him by an angel.

The composition is a free version of The Virgin and Child with an Angel (Upton House, Warwickshire). The figures in the Upton House painting are based on a lost composition, the Virgin and Child with a Flower, by Rogier van der Weyden. This was frequently repeated towards or after 1500, especially in Brussels.

The present state of our painting makes it impossible to assess accurately. Under the veils of dirt and varnish it seems to be of very poor quality. The rocky crags and natural arch in the rock are slightly reminiscent of Joachim Patinir but are also found in pictures by van der Weyden. It may tentatively be suggested that the picture was painted in Brussels and dated around 1520. The apparently very poor quality could be an indication that it is by an amateur rather than a professional painter.

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