Kroning van Maria - Matheus

A detailed seventeenth-century engraving depicting the Coronation of the Virgin, featuring precise line work and traditional religious iconography.

This engraving depicts the Coronation of the Virgin, a traditional subject in Christian iconography. The composition follows a standard arrangement: the Virgin Mary occupies the centre, positioned between the figures of God the Father and Christ. Both divine figures hold orbs, symbols of their authority over the cosmos, and together they place a crown upon Mary's head. Above the crown, a dove representing the Holy Spirit descends, completing the Trinitarian imagery.

The figures are surrounded by clouds and cherubic heads, which provide a sense of celestial space. The artist, identified in the lower margin as Matheus, employs a technique of fine hatching and cross-hatching to model the drapery of the garments and the musculature of the figures. This method creates a clear sense of volume and depth, typical of printmaking practices during the seventeenth century. The inclusion of Latin text at the base of the print identifies the subject and provides the names of the artist and the publisher, Jean Mesiager.

Such prints were often produced for devotional books or as independent devotional images. The style reflects the influence of Flemish and Dutch printmaking, where clarity of line and balanced composition were prioritised to ensure the theological message remained accessible to the viewer. The aged paper and the visible plate mark indicate that this is a historical impression, preserving the original intent of the engraver. The work functions as a clear example of the period's approach to religious narrative, focusing on the formal hierarchy of the figures and the symbolic elements of the coronation event.