Angel of the Annunciation

Fra Angelico's treatment of this sacred subject in 1422 exemplifies the enduring importance of religious painting in the Early Renaissance. As the Dominican friar-painter whose luminous devotional works embody the spiritual ideals of the Early Renaissance, Fra Angelico brings delicate linear grace to the sacred narrative, creating a work that served both devotional and artistic purposes in fifteenth-century Italian culture. Created during the first decades of the fifteenth century, the work belongs to a period when International Gothic elegance was giving way to the naturalistic impulses that would define the Renaissance.

Fra Angelico employs radiant coloring and delicate linear grace 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.