Zacharias and Elizabeth

Sir Stanley Spencer (1891 - 1959)

Tate Collection

1913 - 1914

Zacharias and his wife Elizabeth are parents of the future John the Baptist. In the foreground Zacharias burns incense; behind him the angel Gabriel descends to announce the forthcoming birth of their son. Elizabeth is depicted above the wall left of centre. The couple appear again to the right, Elizabeth has her back to the viewer and her crooked arm resting on a yew. A joint purchase with the Graves Art Gallery, Sheffield.

• Medium: oil & pencil on canvas
• Dimensions: 142.6 x 142.8cm
• Art Fund Grant: £200000 ( Total: £1,141,578; Tax Remission)
• ArtFunded in: 1999
• Vendor: Bone family (through Sotheby's)

Provenance

Purchased from the artist by Muirhead Bone circa 1920 thence by descent.

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