The Three Marys at the Tomb, with the Angel of the Resurrection

A monumental mid-17th century Flemish tapestry, woven in wool and silk, depicting the biblical episode of the Three Marys at the Tomb, drawn from the Gospel narratives of the Resurrection. The scene shows the moment when Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome approach the tomb of Christ bearing ointment jars, intending to anoint his body. To their astonishment they find the stone rolled away and an angel, radiant with divine light, seated upon the tomb who announces that “He is risen; he is not here.”
The composition is set within a verdant wooded landscape with rocky grotto, enlivened by birds, animals, and distant architecture. The richly robed figures, with their flowing draperies and animated gestures, exemplify the refined artistry of Brussels workshops at this period. The use of silk threads heightens the luminosity of the angel’s radiance and the vibrancy of the women’s garments, demonstrating the technical mastery for which Flemish weaving was renowned.
The Resurrection was one of the most important subjects for 17th-century ecclesiastical and princely patrons, intended to proclaim both the central tenet of Christian faith and the triumph of divine truth. Tapestries of this scale and subject would have formed part of a larger Passion or Resurrection cycle, hung for major feast days and liturgical celebrations.