The Virgin in Prayer by Théophile Lybaert is a classic example of neo-Gothic art. Both the realistic detail and natural symbolism were inspired by the Flemish Primitives. The rose and the thistle, for example, refer to the Passion and Redemption of Christ. The theme of the Virgin Mary in a walled garden and the frame with Latin and Middle Dutch inscriptions in gothic lettering emphasise the work’s archaic character. The artist added his signature and the date on the stone bench at the bottom left. Lybaert was called the 19th century’s Memling and created striking murals for St Salvator’s Church in Ghent among others.
| Artist |
Théophile Marie François Lybaert
RKD
VIAF
Wikidata
|
|---|---|
| Title | The Virgin at Prayer |
| Date | 1886 |
| Period | 19th century |
| Signatures, inscriptions, and markings | signature and year bottom left, on the stone bench: TH. Lybaert 1886 |
| inscription at the bottom of the inner frame: Die Heylige Mageleyn die zegget haer gebedekeyn | |
| Collection | paintings AAT |
| Object type | oil paintings (visual works) AAT |
| Inventory number | 1926-E |
| Acquisition credit |
long-term loan
Vlaamse Gemeenschap Brussels 1926 |
| Current whereabouts | Work on display |
| Permalink | https://mskgent.be/collection/work/data/1926-E |
| IIIF Manifest | https://imagehub.mskgent.be/iiif/3/1047/manifest.json |
| Art & Architecture Thesaurus | 300055874 religious symbolism AAT |
|---|---|
| Keywords Iconclass |
11F
the Virgin Mary
Iconclass
11Q2 (private) prayer; 'Oratione', 'Preghiere', 'Preghiere a Dio' (Ripa) Iconclass 11Q511 the Bible as a book Iconclass 11V87 praying for the living and the dead ~ one of the (seven) spiritual Acts of Mercy Iconclass 25G41(COLUMBINE) flowers: columbine Iconclass 25G41(DANDELION) flowers (DANDELION) Iconclass 25G41(ROSE) flowers: rose Iconclass 31AA235 sitting figure - AA - female human figure Iconclass 31B6212 looking downwards Iconclass 41D221(HEADSCARF) head-gear (HEADSCARF) Iconclass 41D2651 embroidery (ornamentation) Iconclass 57A63 Incorruption, Purity; 'Purita' (Ripa) Iconclass 73 New Testament Iconclass |
| School / Style |
historicism (theory)
AAT
Gothic Revival AAT |
| Catalogus van het Museum van Schoone Kunsten Gent : II: Moderne Meesters / Georges Chabot, Fritz Van Loo. - Gent : Ad. Hoste, 1932 (p. 97) |
| Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent : Catalogus schilderkunst ; Deel I: 14de - 18de eeuw ; Deel II: 19de - 20ste eeuw / Robert Hoozee, Johan De Smet, Bruno Fornari, Ruth Monteyne. - Gent : Museum voor Schone Kunsten Gent, 2007 (dl. II, p. 222-223 (ill.)) |
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