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Samuel van Hoogstraten The Visitation
Summary
Samuel van Hoogstraten
The Visitation
Dimensions:
230 by 178 mm
Medium:
Pen and brown ink with brown and red wash within brown ink framing lines
"Provenance
Schneider Collection, 1876 (according to Sumowski); M.A. Marmontel, his sale, Paris, 25-26 January 1883, lot 245 (as Rembrandt); sale, Paris, 28-29 March 1898, lot 54; Professor E. Perman, Stockholm, thence by descent to the present owner[1]"
The Visitation is a scene in the New Testament that depicts the meeting between Mary, the mother of Jesus, and her cousin Elizabeth, who was pregnant with John the Baptist. According to the Gospel of Luke, Mary visited Elizabeth after the angel Gabriel had informed her that she was to become the mother of Jesus. When Mary arrived, Elizabeth was filled with the Holy Spirit, and she declared that Mary was blessed among women and that the child within her was the son of God.
The Visitation is often depicted in Christian art, particularly in paintings and sculptures, as a tender and intimate moment between two expectant mothers. Mary is typically shown with a child-like expression of joy and wonder, while Elizabeth is often depicted as being filled with the Holy Spirit, with gestures or symbols that reflect her state of grace.
The Visitation is significant for several reasons. It highlights the close relationship between Mary and Elizabeth, and their shared experience as mothers-to-be. It also emphasizes the divine nature of the child within Mary, and the role that John the Baptist would play in preparing the way for Jesus' ministry. The scene is often interpreted as a symbol of the coming together of the old and new covenants, as Elizabeth, who was a descendent of Aaron, represents the old covenant, while Mary, who is carrying the son of God, represents the new covenant.
Samuel van Hoogstraten was a Dutch painter, art theorist and writer. He was born in 1627 in Dordrecht, the Netherlands. He studied with his father, who was also a painter, and later trained with Rembrandt in Amsterdam. Van Hoogstraten is known for his genre paintings, still lifes and portraits. His works often feature complex compositions and symbolic elements. He was also interested in perspective and optical illusions and wrote a book on the subject entitled 'Inleyding tot de hooge schoole der schilderkonst' (Introduction to the High School of Painting). In addition to his artistic activities, van Hoogstraten was also involved in politics and was a member of the city council of Dordrecht. He died in 1678 at the age of 51.
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