PROVENANCE: Julius Weitzner, London, 1967; BJU, 1967.

Friedrich Overbeck began his artistic training at the age of 15 with Joseph Nikolaus Peroux. Over the next few years he gained further inspiration from Hamburg artists and copies of Italian Renaissance masters before moving to Vienna to study at the Akademie in 1806. After three years learning the mechanics of drawing in the academic tradition, Overbeck found the approach of Eberhard Wächter to be more suited to his artistic ideas about clarity of compositional execution and moral tone. About this time the artist began attempting his first oil paintings, which reflected his deepening religious convictions. As a result of his own faith and artistic ideas, in 1809 Overbeck started an association called the Brotherhood of St. Luke (or Nazarenes) comprised of fellow German artists Franz Pforr, Ludwig Vogel, Joseph Wintergerst, Joseph Sutter, and Johann Konrad Hottinger. They shared his views about reviving European religious art that rejected the sensuality and artistic virtuosity of artists beginning in the 16th century. Overbeck embraced the Italian art of the Renaissance before Raphael and thereby provided a measure of inspiration for the slightly later Pre-Raphaelite movement in England.

In spite of Overbeck's ambivalence towards the art of Raphael, this Visitation reflects how the Nazarenes could at times fully embrace and reflect the art of the master. It provides a sublime and supremely idealized expression of the meeting of the young Mary with Elizabeth as they share the wonder of the miracle of God in the conception of their sons. The sacred mood and expression of Christian piety found here reflect the type of artistic goals that Overbeck sought to revive in 19th -century Europe. The refinement of technique and quality of execution mark this work as beautiful as those by Jean-Auguste-Dominique Ingres, who came to admire the work of Overbeck.