Michael Angelo Immenraet

Michael Angelo Immenraet[1] (1621–1683) was a Flemish history and portrait painter who is mainly remembered for a lavish Baroque painting series of biblical scenes that he produced for the Unionskirche, Idstein in Germany.

Together with Johann Caspar Bencard, his pupil or assistant, Immenraet was responsible for 38 of the oil on canvas paintings decorating the ceiling of the Unionskirche, Idstein.

[6] The best-known works from his oeuvre is a series of 38 paintings, which he realized with the assistance of Johann Caspar Bencard, for the ceiling of the Unionskirche, Idstein.

Saint Elisabeth's residence with its formal garden in the background resembles the Idstein residential palace of Johann of Nassau-Idstein, the construction of which was commenced in 1646.

[8] The subjects and the use of Baroque optical illusionism in the paintings in the center of the ceiling are intended to make the viewer look up, from altar to the back: The Transfiguration, the Elevation of the Holy Cross, The Resurrection, The Deposition, The Ascension and The Vision of St. John on Patmos.

For instance, The Wedding at Cana on the south wall is largely inspired by Rubens' painting The Feast of Herod (which is itself in the collection of the National Gallery of Scotland in Edinburgh).

[9][10] At the time, the series of works was regarded as a remarkably unique Baroque contribution to church decoration in Protestant Germany.