An Altarpiece from St. Moritz Church [right wing]: The Annunciation

The right wing Annunciation from the St Moritz Church Altarpiece (1514) pairs with the left wing's Saint Elizabeth to complete the altarpiece program Cranach designed for the Stadtpfarrkirche St. Moritz in Mittenwalde. The Annunciation's appearance on the right wing created a theological connection between the opening of the altarpiece's central program and the framing narrative of the Incarnation — the angel's message to Mary beginning the redemptive story that the altarpiece's central panels would narrate or celebrate. Cranach's treatment of the Annunciation subject, developed through multiple versions across his career, typically showed the angel in dynamic movement contrasting with Mary's composed reception, the architectural setting giving spatial depth to the divine encounter. The church's preservation of both wings in their original setting allows the Annunciation's role within the complete altarpiece program to be appreciated, the theological argument of the multiple panels understood as an integrated whole.

Lucas Cranach the Elder employs precise linear draftsmanship and decorative elegance to convey the spiritual gravity of the subject. The treatment of the figures shows careful study of earlier masters, while the palette and lighting create the devotional atmosphere the subject demands.