Antique Painting - 17th Century Flemish School

Period: late 17th century (ca. 1680-1700) Technique: oil on canvas Dimensions: width 150 cm - height 105 cm (without frame) Frame: antique in gilded wood Important large painting, attributable to the Flemish school of the late 17th century, depicting a striking Annunciation. At the center of the scene stands the angel Gabriel, wrapped in a large white robe and wearing a radiant nimbus, in the act of pointing to heaven to announce the Incarnation to the Virgin Mary. The Virgin, depicted in an attitude of recollection and humility, receives the divine message with composure and gentleness. Next to her is St. Joseph, caught with an absorbed face and watchful attitude, a figure proposed here by the artist to complete the sacred scene: his presence enriches the narrative, emphasizing his role as guardian and witness of the divine mystery. The canvas reveals the qualities of the Flemish Baroque school: the skillful use of chiaroscuro, the care of drapery, the finesse with which faces and details are treated. The light, which invests the angel and the Virgin, contrasts with the areas of shadow, creating a spiritual tension typical of Nordic art, but influenced by Caravaggio's naturalism and the theatrical taste of the 17th century. Good state of preservation, with normal signs of time consistent with age. Antique gilt wood frame. A painting of rare expressive force and considerable impact, capable of combining spirituality, refinement and great decorative value: a significant example of the late 17th-century Flemish tradition.