Triptych of Mary and Child, St. Michael, and the Catherine
1437
Jan van Eyck packed an incredible amount of detail into this tiny triptych, painted in 1437 for private devotion. In the center, the Virgin Mary sits on a richly decorated throne inside a grand Gothic church, holding the Christ child. To the left, the archangel Michael stands in shining, reflective armor next to a kneeling donor, while Saint Catherine of Alexandria stands elegantly on the right with her sword and wheel. Van Eyck was a master of the early Northern Renaissance, famous for his realistic textures and light, making this small altarpiece feel like a window into a divine, jewel-box world.
Location: Gemäldegalerie Alte Meister, Dresden
Views: 2