Artwork
The Annunciation
The Annunciation is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Pedro de Calabria. It dates from 1720 and is held in the collection of the Museo del Prado.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1720, *The Annunciation* is an oil painting by Spanish artist Pedro de Calabria. Executed in the Rococo manner that marked the late Baroque, the work now belongs to the collection of the Museo del Prado. It presents the biblical moment when the Angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear the Christ child, rendered with a luminous, airy atmosphere.
Subject & Meaning
The composition features two female figures beneath a radiant sky. The figure on the left, clothed in flowing robes and holding lilies, gestures as if speaking, while the woman on the right, dressed in red and blue, kneels beside a table bearing a book and a basket of cloth. Above them, small angels hover around a glowing light, emphasizing the divine message of the Annunciation.
Technique & Style
Calabria employs a delicate chiaroscuro, allowing bright colors and soft shadows to model the figures against a darker backdrop. The handling of light creates a sense of depth and spiritual illumination, while the pastel palette and ornamental details reflect the Rococo influence that softened the more austere Baroque aesthetic of his earlier training.
History & Provenance
Born in Valladolid, Calabria studied under the Neapolitan master Luca Giordano before assisting him in Madrid. After his apprenticeship, he produced a range of works, including battle scenes, but turned to religious subjects such as this Annunciation. The painting entered the Prado’s holdings in the 19th century, where it remains on display as part of the museum’s Spanish Baroque collection.
Context
The work illustrates the transitional period in Spanish art when the dramatic vigor of the Baroque began to merge with the lighter, decorative tendencies of the Rococo. Calabria’s training with Giordano, a prolific exponent of dynamic composition, informs the painting’s energetic arrangement, while the inclusion of everyday objects—a book, a basket—grounds the celestial event in a domestic setting.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Pedro de Calabria (active 1712–1725) was a Spanish painter of the Baroque period. He was born in Valladolid. He was a pupil of Luca Giordano in Naples, whom he accompanied to assist in his works at Madrid. He painted battle-pieces.
