Flemish school; end of the 16th century.

Flemish school; late sixteenth century.
"The coronation of the Virgin".
Oil on canvas. Cradled.
Measurements: 54 x 50 cm.
In this work Mary is represented in the center, establishing herself as the axis of symmetry of the composition, which stands out for its centripetal conception. This dynamism is instituted by the achievement of concentric circles, which form the different angels that populate the scene. In addition, one of the most remarkable aspect of the image is the white background. A priori it seems an unfinished work, however, the presence of the clouds that are under some of the angels, demonstrate that the work was conceived in such a way. In this painting we can appreciate many of the aesthetic elements that are part of the pictorial tradition of the Flemish school, such as a balanced and harmonious composition. Thus, the descriptive and detailed sense of the Flemish primitives is maintained, especially appreciable in the careful treatment of the canvases and in the rigorous drawing, in addition to highlighting the space based on empirical knowledge and not on perspective studies. The chromatism also recalls the works of the Flemish masters of the previous century. While in the 17th century the demand for religious art for churches radically ceased in the northern provinces, today's Holland, in Flanders a monumental art in the service of the Catholic Church flourished instead, partly due to the necessary restoration of the ravages that the wars had caused in churches and convents. In addition, due to the split of the Church and the Reformation, which meant the consolidation of Protestantism in the countries neighboring Flanders, the religious forces of the place responded with an iconographic display that confronted the Protestant doctrine. For this reason, images of saints proliferated, and of course those depicting the life of the Virgin Mary. Due to the aesthetics of the present work, it is worth noting that it has certain similarities with the works of Pedro de Campaña (Brussels, 1503 - ca. 1580), a Flemish painter who trained in Italy.
The theme of the coronation of the Virgin was told in the second century by St. Meliton, bishop of Sardis and later disseminated by Gregory of Tours, and James of Voragine, who collected it in his famous legend Aurea. The Coronation of the Blessed Virgin is also a subject of devotion throughout Christianity. Beyond art, the Coronation is a central motif in Marian Processions throughout the world.