Mérode Altarpiece: The Annunciation | Robert Campin | c. 1427-32 Frederic Leighton The affectionate gesture and the

The affectionate gesture and the children's innocent expressions highlight the tender bond between them

More solemn and explicitly devotional than the earlier Louvre version

The scene presents a woman holding a sleeping infant while another figure shields a flame with her hand

Interpreted by many as a reflection of the artist’s own struggles in a male-dominated world

" translating to "In memory of my beloved son

Mérode Altarpiece: The Annunciation | Robert Campin | c. 1427-32 Frederic Leighton The affectionate gesture and theAbout the artwork: The Mrode Altarpiece, attributed to Robert Campin and his workshop and dated around 1427 to 1432, is one of the most important early Netherlandish paintings because it transforms the Annunciation into a scene that feels both sacred and strikingly domestic. Instead of placing the Virgin Mary in a monumental heavenly setting, Campin situates her in a detailed Flemish interior filled with symbolic objects that deepen the meaning of the