Annunciation and Visitation in Stained Glass: A Historic Exhibition at Oude Kerk

This historic stained glass window, created in 1555, depicts two significant scenes from Mary's life: the Annunciation and the Visitation. Located in the Mariakapel of the Oude Kerk, it features donor portraits at the bottom and has undergone several restorations over centuries, with original panels being preserved and reinstalled.

The Annunciation and Visitation window, dating from 1555, is a significant piece of heritage art located in the Mariakapel of the Oude Kerk. The window portrays the Annunciation, where Archangel Gabriel announces Jesus' birth to Mary, and the Visitation, depicting Mary's visit to her pregnant cousin Elizabeth. The scenes are presented within an elaborate architectural setting. At the base of the window, donor portraits of Jan Claesz van Hoppen (II), his wife Lysbeth Pietersdr Rodigh, and their daughters are visible, alongside four patron saints: St. Peter, St. Paul, St. Nicholas, and St. Elizabeth of Thuringia. While attributed to Lambert van Noort for design and Digman Meynaert for execution, the window has a complex history of alterations and restorations. These include work by M.E. de Angelis in the eighteenth century, J.L. Schouten between 1901-1907, and Atelier Bogtman in the 1960s and 1970s, preserving original panels and reincorporating fragments. This window, along with others in the Mariakapel, reflects the Catholic tradition prevalent before the Reformation, even as it was built during that transitional period.