Artwork
Annunciation
Annunciation is an unspecified painting by the Mannerist artist Benvenuto Tisi. It dates from 1520 and is held in the collection of the Bavarian State Painting Collections.
About this work
Overview
Created in 1520, this oil painting by Benvenuto Tisi portrays the biblical moment of the Annunciation. An angelic messenger stands on the left, while the Virgin Mary is seated on a chair on the right, both illuminated against a somber, cloud‑filled backdrop. The work is part of the collection of the Alte Pinakothek in Munich.
Subject & Meaning
The composition follows the traditional narrative of the Angel Gabriel announcing to Mary that she will bear the Son of God. The angel’s outstretched wings and flowing robe convey divine presence, while Mary’s upward gaze suggests reverence and contemplation of the divine message.
Technique & Style
Tisi employs a chiaroscuro scheme, contrasting bright figures with a deep, shadowed sky to model volume and create spatial depth. The restrained palette of muted tones accentuates the luminous flesh of the figures, and the careful handling of light highlights the emotional tension of the encounter.
History & Provenance
Painted in the early sixteenth century, the piece entered the holdings of the Alte Pinakothek, where it has remained on display. Its attribution to Benvenuto Tisi, a painter active in the Lombard and Venetian circles, is supported by stylistic analysis and archival records linking the work to his mature period.
Artist & collection
Artist
Benvenuto Tisi (Italian: ; 1481 – September 6, 1559), also known as Il Garofalo (Italian: ), was a Late-Renaissance-Mannerist Italian painter of the School of Ferrara.
