St. Elisabeth and Johannes the Baptist Worship the Baby Jesus on Mary's lap, c. 1635–1640
Oil on canvas
169 × 232 cm
Cornelis Schut, a pupil of Peter Paul Rubens (a master in Antwerp since 1618), painted the decorations for the entry of Cardinal-Infante Ferdinand into Ghent in 1635, together with other artists. He is one of the most important Flemish baroque painters.
Mary is sitting in front of a columned architecture with little Jesus on her lap. Elisabeth comes to her with her son, John, the later Baptist, to venerate the baby Jesus. The two boys anticipate their later role as prophet and messiah in childlike play. They form the bright centre of the composition, shielded by their mothers behind them.
The influence of Rubens is also unmistakable in this painting, especially in the lively putti figures that frame the scenes. Cornelis Schut executed this composition several times. One version is in the Onze-Lieve-Vrouwenkerk in Temse, East Flanders (Willmers, cat.-no.A25). The whereabouts of another is unknown (Willmers, cat.-no.A24 ), but is probably identical to artwork no.210843 in the database of the Netherlands Institute for Art History (RKD), The Hague.
Literature:
Gertrude Wilmers, Cornelis Schut (1597–1655): A Flemish Painter of the High Baroque, Antwerpen 1996, Kat.-Nr. A26, Abb. S. 358.
Expert opinion from Dr. Klaus Ertz on January 24, 2020
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