Pentecost

In the latter part of the 16th century religious faith divided the Flemish city of Antwerp. Although the painter Marten de Vos was registered as a Lutheran in 1584, he apparently decided to adopt Catholic beliefs rather than leave the city, the option given to Reformists under Alessandro Farnese, Duke of Parma, when he took over Antwerp. De Vos became much in demand, producing works on Catholic themes, including large-scale altarpieces, for some of the most important guilds in Antwerp. He also produced a very large number of designs (some sources record as many as 1600 known drawings) for prints that were then published by a range of artists. To date, no print is known of this drawing.

The scene illustrates a miracle taking place at the feast of the Pentecost, ten days after Christ ascended to Heaven. According to the Bible (Acts 2:1-4), the twelve apostles were gathered together in a room when from the sky a noise like that of a strong, driving wind filled the house. Tongues of fire moved among them before resting on their heads, filling them with the Holy Spirit and enabling them to speak many languages. In this treatment, de Vos demonstrates popular adaptations on the theme. The Virgin Mary's presence is not recorded in the Bible, but artists often included her depictions of the event, where she may serve as a symbol of the Catholic Church. This is suggested here by her position in the centre of the group. The roof has opened up, and the dove of the Holy Spirit is shown hovering among the clouds above Mary's head, faint lines indicating the light radiating from its body.

Whereas many of de Vos's paintings show groups of figures in a tight mass and on a horizontal plane, here the figures of the apostles are depicted in a clearly defined space. Each is accorded an individual gesture of surprise in the event, although de Vos refrains from depicting tongues of fire above their heads. Broad washes build up the folds in the drapery, while the background figures are cast in shadow, giving both spatial depth and a sense of dramatic movement to the scene.

See: Mary Kisler, 'Marten de Vos 1532-1603 Flanders', in William MacAloon (ed.), Art at Te Papa (Wellington: Te Papa Press, 2009), p. 29.