Ecce Ancilla Domini! (The Annunciation)

December 19, 2011  by  Lachan Halbertal

A young girl, clad in her Sunday outfit, her hair perfectly combed in a side-parting hair-do, with a ribbon attached to it, her legs wrapped in dreary black stockings, her expression a resigned boredom, stares at the viewer, while her strict and self-assured mother is undisturbedly reading by her side. In “Madame Theo van Rysselberghe and Her Daughter”, Theo van Rysselberghe depicted a scene, which is unfamiliar to the 21st century mothers of the 21st century rebellious children. The pointalistic technique he chose to use is uncompromising, and yet he managed to attain in this painting a peak of realism, which many painters have failed to achieve, although using friendlier techniques. In spite of the challenging technique, the painting was perfectly reproduced by one of The 1st Art Gallery’s painters. It is best appreciated from a distance, where the dots and points blend into a fantastically touching harmony.