The Life of the Virgin and the Childhood of Jesus


The meeting at the Golden Gate

 
The meeting at the gate is a popular scene in early art. The greeting of Joachim and Anne is a touching scene, but does it have greater significance than this? We will explore this idea in the next section on the Immaculate Conception of Mary.


And, behold, Joachim came with his flocks; and Anna stood by the gate, and saw Joachim coming, and she ran and hung upon his neck, saying: Now I know that the Lord God has blessed me exceedingly; for, behold the widow no longer a widow, and I the childless shall conceive. And Joachim rested the first day in his house. (From Chapter 4 of the Protoevangelium)


Albrecht Durer
Woodcut
Staatliche Graphische Sammlung, Munich


Giotto
Scrovegni Chapel, Padua


Master of Moulins
National Gallery, London


Master of Alkmaar
Frans Hals Museum, Haarlem


Fra Philippo Liippi
Ashmolean Museum Oxford


   The panels by the Master of Alkmaar neatly encapsulate the entire story of Joachim and Anna.  The Lippi picture come from the predella of an altarpiece. The presence of the angel is interesting: see my comments on the Immaculate Conception on the next page.


Next page - the Immaculate Conception


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