The Annunciation

Gallery 358, European Art 1500-1850, third floor

Main Building

The Annunciation

1650

Francisco de Zurbarán (Spanish, 1598–1664)

This painting depicts the archangel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the son of God. Overhead, the dove of the Holy Spirit hovers among lively angels. The trend in Spanish art toward more intimate and emotional portrayals of religious scenes is evident in the crisply painted details of the book, furniture, and garments contrast with the smoky shadows around the faces of the two main figures, evoking both the physical reality and psychological intensity of the event.

Gallery 358, European Art 1500-1850, third floor

Object Details

Title:

The Annunciation

Date:

1650

Artist:

Francisco de Zurbarán (Spanish, 1598–1664)

Medium:

Oil on canvas

Dimensions:

7 feet 1 5/8 inches × 10 feet 4 1/2 inches (217.5 × 316.2 cm) Framed: 7 feet 8 1/2 inches × 10 feet 11 3/4 inches × 4 inches (235 × 334.6 × 10.2 cm)

Classification:

Paintings

Credit Line:

Purchased with the W. P. Wilstach Fund, 1900

Accession Number:

W1900-1-16

Geography:

Made in Seville, Spain, Europe

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Gallery 358, European Art 1500-1850, third floor

Main Building

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