Botschaft des Engels an Joachim

About this artwork

Von Inv.-Nr. 4898 abgesägte Außenseite eines Altarflügels, zugehörig weiters Inv.-Nr. 4900

Art Historical Context

This panel painting, titled *Botschaft des Engels an Joachim* (The Angel’s Message to Joachim), was created around 1435 by the anonymous Master the Albrecht Altar. It depicts the moment when an angel announces to Joachim that his wife Anne will conceive the Virgin Mary. Painted on fir wood and measuring 97 × 62 cm, the work originally formed outer side of a wing from a large winged altarpiece (Flügelretabel). It was later sawn from a larger panel now associated with inventory numbers in the Belvedere Collection in Vienna. Created during the late Gothic period in the Alpine region, the piece reflects the devotional function of such altarpieces, which were opened and closed according to the liturgical calendar. The Master of the Albrecht Altar is known for his detailed narrative scenes and delicate figure style, characteristic of early 15th-century Austrian panel painting. As a fragment, this work offers a rare glimpse into how multi-winged retables were constructed and adapted over time. Its presence in the Belvedere underscores the museum’s role in preserving medieval religious art from Austria. The thin panel and precise execution highlight the technical skill required to produce portable yet monumental sacred imagery for churches and chapels of the era.