Artwork
Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saints Francis and Lidwina, with Donors (Anna Selbdritt)
Virgin and Child with Saint Anne and Saints Francis and Lidwina, with Donors (Anna Selbdritt) is an unspecified painting by the Northern Renaissance artist Master of the St. John's Altarpiece. It dates from 1490 and is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Overview
Above, angels lift drapery that frames the throne like a theatrical curtain.
The canvas presents a three‑generation holy family: Saint Anne seated on an elevated throne, absorbed in a book, with the Virgin Mary cradling the infant Christ beneath her. Flanking the central figures are groups of kneeling donors—six men on the left accompanied by Saint Francis, and four women on the right with Saint Lidwina—while a cluster of children occupies the steps. Above, angels lift drapery that frames the throne like a theatrical curtain.
Subject & Meaning
The composition illustrates the rare "Anna Selbdritt" motif, emphasizing the lineage from Anne to Mary to Jesus and underscoring the intercessory role of saints Francis and Lidwina. The inclusion of the donors in devotional posture reflects a medieval practice of expressing piety and social standing through visual patronage, linking earthly benefactors to the sacred narrative.
Technique & Style
Rendered in oil on canvas, the work employs a balanced arrangement of figures and a luminous palette that highlights the central throne. Soft modeling of faces and drapery conveys a gentle realism, while the angels’ delicate handling of the curtains adds a sense of staged revelation, a common device in late‑Gothic devotional paintings.
History & Provenance
The painting originates from a period when affluent lay patrons commissioned religious scenes for private chapels or churches, integrating themselves into the holy tableau. Though the exact date and artist remain uncertain, the work reflects the devotional trends of the Northern Renaissance and has been documented in the collection of the Rijksmuseum, where it continues to be studied for its iconographic rarity.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Master of the St. John's Altarpiece
This Dutch painter created a single large altarpiece in the late 1400s, blending Northern European detail with early Renaissance clarity.
Lactatio of Saint Bernard of Clairvaux with Donors
Madonna of the Catholic Monarchs
Virgin and Child with Saints Catherine of Alexandria and Barbara
Virgin and Child with Three Saints
Mary and child, Saint Julita and Saint Guerito.
Virgin of the Councillors
Triptych of Madonna and Child with Angels; Donor and His Patron Saint Peter Martyr; and Saint Jerome and His Lion
Madonna and Child with St. Anne.
Memorial tablet of Jacob Jan van Assendelft (1396-1478) and his wife Haesgen van Outshoorn (?-1471)
