Annunciation of the Death of the Virgin

This painting with an uncommon subject and comparatively small scale probably was painted for a private Catholic patron. Van Hoogstraten had worked for foreign Catholics and like other Protestant players in the Netherlands he also had Dutch Catholic clients and was capable of meeting their demands sympathetically.

The present picture, like some other painted for Catholic patrons, may be placed within the tradition of “Dutch Classicism,” which was rising about 1670 (G�rard de Lairesse being a key representative).