Coronation of Saint Rosalia
Anthony van Dyck·1629
Historical Context
Coronation of Saint Rosalia (1629), in the Kunsthistorisches Museum, returns to the Sicilian plague saint whom Van Dyck had painted intensively during his 1624 visit to Palermo. Saint Rosalie, a twelfth-century hermit whose relics were credited with ending the 1624 plague, became one of Van Dyck's most personal devotional subjects. This later version, painted after his return from Italy, shows the saint crowned by angels in celestial glory — a vision of heavenly reward for earthly renunciation. The painting's luminous palette and emotional refinement reflect Van Dyck's post-Italian synthesis of Flemish technique with Venetian color. The Kunsthistorisches Museum's version demonstrates the enduring importance of the Rosalia subject in Van Dyck's religious oeuvre.
Technical Analysis
The composition shows Rosalia ascending to heaven where she receives a crown from angels. Van Dyck's luminous palette and delicate handling create an atmosphere of celestial radiance.
Look Closer
- ◆Notice the saint crowned by angels in celestial glory — a vision of heavenly reward for earthly renunciation.
- ◆Look at the luminous palette and emotional refinement reflecting Van Dyck's post-Italian synthesis at the Kunsthistorisches Museum.
- ◆Observe the return to the Sicilian plague saint Rosalie, first painted intensively during Van Dyck's 1624 Palermo visit.
