3-098-317 - Heritage Art/Heritage Images

The Annunciation, 1663. The angel Gabriel brings news of Mary's pregnancy. The clouds, thickening above a luminous horizon line, create an effect of remarkable mass, solemnity, and power. Behind the balustrade, silhouetted against the light, the symbolic rosebush, as a Marian attribute, is given great significance. The carpet is also of considerable importance, meticulously rendered with a rich tactile quality, as are the sewing basket and the cloths that compose a still life.