This exceptional oak statuette has an equally exceptional history. It dates from the 16th century and it represents Saint Anne, the Virgin Mary and the Child Jesus. Saint Anne is standing and she is carrying her daughter Mary on her arm like a little girl. Over time the statuette has been severely damaged and Saint Anne’s left hand and the arms of Mary and the Child Jesus are now missing. Remnants of the original paint are still visible. The statuette originally came from a chapel in Meise. It was probably rescued from the chapel in the late 17th century, when French invaders arrived in Meise and started fires. According to tradition, it was first hidden in the crown of a tree and then later hidden with an unnamed family, who looked after it for 300 years. The statuette not only bears witness to its own tumultuous history, it is also a testament to the rich tradition of the many chapels, special trees and roadside crosses found all over Flanders.