The Visitation

The Visitation by the Master of Miraflores depicts Mary's journey to visit her cousin Elizabeth, who is carrying John the Baptist — the encounter in which John leaps in the womb in recognition of the incarnate Christ. This subject, combining family warmth with theological significance, was particularly suited to the Hispano-Flemish tradition's ability to render tender human encounters with emotional naturalism. The Master of Miraflores's painting at the Museo de la Trinidad demonstrates his skill at conveying both the intimacy of the greeting and the theological weight of the two pregnancies meeting.

The two women meet in an exterior or threshold setting, their embrace forming the compositional center. The master uses Flemish landscape convention for the background. The bodies of the two women curve toward each other, conveying warmth and recognition, while their faces express the mixed joy and wonder of the moment.