The Archangel Gabriel from the scene of the Annunciation

Through analysis of the format and composition, it can be concluded that the representation of the Archangel Gabriel was probably incorporated into the wings of the altarpiece on its right side. Together with a second surviving plaque with the image of Mary (MNS/Szt/1047), it comprised the scene of the Annunciation. Clad in a white tunic and with a red cloak draped over it, the Angel turns towards Mary. He raises his right hand in a gesture of blessing and holds a lily flower, a symbol of purity, in his left hand. Rolling clouds appear under his feet, and above his head there is a shining cloud, against the background of which rises a white dove, symbolizing the Holy Spirit. Dr Janina Kochanowska (1948-) dated the pieces as from the end of the 16th century, linking their authorship to the circle of artists making the altarpiece for the castle church in Szczecin, and in particular to Matthias Nether (active around 1596-1603), court painter to Duke Johann Friedrich (from 1597). However, there is a lack of evidence to support this claim, especially as there is as yet no way of establishing the piece's origin. It is more likely that the painting was created in the first half of the 17th century, as the layout of the composition refers to the Annunciation scene by Herman Han (1580-c. 1628), now in a church in Kläckeberg, Sweden. Han worked in Gdansk, Chojnice and Pelplin, and had several pupils, one of whom may have been the author of the wings in the Annunciation. Due to the Reformation's critical attitude towards Marian devotion, the theme of the Annunciation was more often addressed in Catholic than Protestant art in modern times. However, in the former Duchy of Pomerania, where Lutheranism was adopted in 1534, Marian themes continued to be taken up in representations, primarily due to the deep traditionalism of Pomeranian society and clergy. Justyna Bądkowska