GAUDENZIO Ferrari , active 1508; died 1546

The Annunciation: The Virgin Mary

Date: 1508-9

Medium: Oil and tempera on poplar

Dimensions: 58.4 x 58.4 cm

Acquisition credit: Layard Bequest, 1916

The Angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the son of God (Luke 1: 26-8). His words, 'Hail Mary full of Grace, the Lord be with you', appear in abbreviated form in Latin on the scroll. The Virgin, interrupted from her reading, raises one hand in surprise at the announcement.

This work and its companion panel of 'The Angel Gabriel' are closely related to a set of four other panels by the artist (Turin, Pinacoteca). All of these works appear to be earlier in style than Gaudenzio's Arona altarpiece which is dated to 1511. The altarpiece may have been arranged as follows; main tier, Madonna and Child with Saint Anne and Angels (Turin) flanked by the Meeting of Joachim and Anne and the Expulsion of Joachim (both Turin); upper tier, the Almighty (Turin) centrally placed above the Madonna and Child, flanked by the Angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary. The low vanishing point certainly suggests that this panel was intended to be placed very high.

Themes

Colours

Keywords

Clothing, People, Religion, Costumes, Woman, Christianity, Religious, Robes, Christian, Halos, New Testament, Wearing, Clothes, Adult, Female, Lady, Robe, Halo, Haloes, Aureola, Aureole, Nimbus, Nimbi, Nimbuses, Colour, Red, Blue, Color, Colours, Colors, Furniture, Chair, Sit, Sitting, Seat, Seated, Indoor, Indoors, Interior, Square, Annunciation, Book, Books, Read, Reading, Reads, Head scarf, Headscarf, Veil, Veiled, Head wear, Curtain, Surprised, Surprised

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This image is part of the group:

"Annunciation Panels from an Altarpiece"

Other images in group:

NG3068.1

NG3068.2

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