Artwork
The Annunciation
The Annunciation is a tempera painting by the Byzantine icon painting artist Bartolo di Fredi. It dates from 1392 and is held in the collection of the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest.
About this work
Overview
The Annunciation, a tempera painting created by Bartolo di Fredi in 1392, is a religious work rooted in the Byzantine iconographic tradition. It is currently part of the Museum of Fine Arts, Budapest's collection.
Subject & Meaning
Opposite, the Virgin Mary is shown in prayer, dressed in a dark robe with a halo, near an arched doorway.
The painting depicts two interconnected scenes of the Annunciation. On one side, an angel kneels, holding a lily (symbol of purity) and an unrolled scroll (implying a message), with outstretched wings and intricate gold-patterned attire. Opposite, the Virgin Mary is shown in prayer, dressed in a dark robe with a halo, near an arched doorway. The composition conveys the pivotal moment of the angel's announcement to Mary.
Technique & Style
Executed in tempera, the work leverages the medium to achieve depth and texture. The simple backgrounds—a sun motif for the angel, an arched doorway for Mary—contrast with the detailed, symbolic elements in the foreground, reflecting the Sienese School's balance of simplicity and ornamentation.
History & Provenance
Created in 1392 by Bartolo di Fredi, a Sienese School painter, The Annunciation is now housed at the Museum of Fine Arts in Budapest, though specific details of its journey to the museum are not provided here.
Context
As part of the Byzantine iconographic tradition, the painting reflects the enduring influence of Byzantine art on Italian religious painting in the late 14th century, characterized by the use of gold, symbolic objects, and formal poses.
Legacy
While specific legacy details of The Annunciation are not highlighted, as a work of the Sienese School, it contributes to the broader understanding and appreciation of 14th-century Italian religious art and the evolution of the Annunciation theme in art history.
Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolo di Fredi (c. 1330 – 26 January 1410), also called Bartolo Battiloro, was an Italian painter, born in Siena, classified as a member of the Sienese School.
The Annunciation
Madonna ja lapsi valtaistuimella
Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints Benedict and Donato (?) and Four Angels
Annunication; Crucifixion
Nativity of Christ
The Annunciation
Legnica polyptych - left wing internal - upper panel - obverse: Annunciation; reverse: St Lawrence, St Vincent the Levite. St John the Baptist
The Annunciation (Meister from Canapost)
Virgin and Child Enthroned with Saints; Crucifixion; Coronation of the Virgin
The Annunciation
Virgin and Child Adored by Saints Mary Magdalene and Nicolas of Bari; Christ Crucified with the Virgin and Saint John the Evangelist