Artwork
Les Festes du mois de Mars (March: The Annunciation)
Les Festes du mois de Mars (March: The Annunciation) is an ink print by the Baroque artist Léonard Gaultier. It dates from 1603 and is held in the collection of the National Gallery of Art.
About this work
Overview
Leonard Gaultier’s 1603 print, titled “Les Festes du mois de Mars (March: The Annunciation),” is an engraving executed on laid paper. Measuring roughly 18.9 by 12.9 centimeters, the work presents the biblical moment when the angel Gabriel delivers the news to the Virgin Mary, set within a modest architectural framework.
Subject & Meaning
Gaultier renders the figures with naturalistic gestures, emphasizing the human dimension of the encounter rather than an idealized, otherworldly presentation.
The composition captures the Annunciation, focusing on the interaction between Gabriel and Mary. Gaultier renders the figures with naturalistic gestures, emphasizing the human dimension of the encounter rather than an idealized, otherworldly presentation. This approach foregrounds the emotional immediacy of the scene, inviting viewers to contemplate the personal significance of the divine message.
Technique & Style
Created through the meticulous process of engraving, the image displays fine line work that defines both the figures and the surrounding architecture. The use of laid paper contributes a subtle texture to the surface, while the careful modulation of hatching conveys volume and depth, characteristic of early 17th‑century French printmaking.
History & Provenance
The print dates to 1603, situating it within Gaultier’s early career when he was active in Paris. Though specific ownership records are scarce, the work has been documented in several catalogues of French engravings, indicating its circulation among collectors of religious prints during the period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Léonard Gaultier, or, as he sometimes signed himself, Galter, a French engraver, was born at Mainz about 1561, and died in Paris in 1641.
