Ruit met Anna te Drieën c. 1900

Arthur Charlier created this leaded glass panel, Ruit met Anna te Drieën, sometime before 1930. The square frame encases a circular scene. The juxtaposition of geometric rigidity with organic fluidity creates a visual tension, drawing our eye to the central figures. The work depicts Saint Anne holding the Virgin Mary with the Christ Child, set against a landscape, rendered in a limited palette dominated by whites, yellows and browns. Charlier’s structural composition invites semiotic interpretation. The framing divides the artwork into foreground and background, inside and outside. The architectural structure of the frame might be a metaphor for the structures of religious doctrine. The landscape, visible through this frame, is a reminder of the world beyond dogma. The circle acts as a lens. It focuses the eye on the sacred figures while also suggesting a break from the conventional square format often used in traditional religious art. The subtle interplay of light and shadow enhances the textural depth of the glass, adding to the overall sense of contemplative, visual dialogue.