Original painted works of liturgical art are not something we seem to have the opportunity to feature very often, so we were particularly happy to be able to feature the following triptych that recently came out of the studios of ALBL Oberammergau in Germany. From their site:
We are presenting you today an absolute unique piece from our master painter from Unterammergau. Our painter spent his whole life perfecting the Flemish Renaissance as well as Antwerp Mannerism. The original oil-glaze technique was used for the painting, in which the scene is built up with several layers. This old-master technique creates an incredibly intense depth of color. The motif is a copy of the beautiful painting "The Adoration of the Magi" by Pieter Checke van Aelst (1502 - 1550) from 1530. The front shows the Annunciation of the Blessed Virgin Mary. The frame was made of linden wood and spruce and polychromed with 24 ct. gold leaf gilding.There is something about triptychs which always catch a great deal of interest. Perhaps it is their ability to close to show other scenes, perhaps it is their antique character, perhaps the curvilinear framing that so often accompanies them, or perhaps it is the symmetry of them that catch the eye -- likely all of these factors have a part to play.
As the studio itself noted, these are done in a distinctly continental Northern European style -- one which is very reminiscent of the Van Eyck brothers to my mind. The main portion of the triptych shows a scene of the Adoration of the Magi:
When you close the triptych it reveals another painted scene, in this case a distinctive scene of the Annunciation:
It is particularly these tall, elongated figures which bring to mind the northern style. Very striking -- as is the all white depiction of the Archangel Gabriel and Blessed Virgin Mary.
Here again, we should be reminded that the notion that "such work is no longer possible today" is in reality a myth. The artists are there provided the patrons are there to support them in their craft.
