The artwork titled “The Mérode Altarpiece” was created by the artist Robert Campin between the years 1425 and 1428. This piece, executed in oil on panel, is a significant example of the Northern Renaissance art movement. Measuring 119.8 x 148.5 cm, it is a religious painting currently housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York City, NY, USA.
The artwork is a triptych, consisting of three panels. The central panel portrays the Annunciation to the Virgin Mary, where the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive Jesus. Mary is depicted in the center dressed in a red gown, deeply engrossed in reading. Gabriel, dressed in a blue robe, is shown kneeling beside her. The domestic interior is meticulously detailed, emphasizing the material culture of the period.
The left wing of the triptych depicts the donors of the altarpiece, presumably a wealthy couple, kneeling in prayer outside what appears to be Mary’s house. The right wing illustrates Saint Joseph in his workshop, engaged in carpentry, with various tools scattered around him. Each panel is rich in symbolism and showcases Campin’s remarkable attention to detail and ability to capture the textures and materials of the objects depicted.
