The Annunciation

Bartholomäus Zeitblom painted this Annunciation around 1496 for a Swabian church. As the leading painter of Ulm, Zeitblom produced altarpieces characterized by statuesque figures, clear coloring, and orderly compositions. His Annunciation scenes set the divine encounter within carefully constructed architectural interiors that reflect the prosperous urban world of his Swabian patrons. This work belongs to the High Renaissance, when the innovations of the preceding century were synthesized into works of monumental clarity and ideal beauty.

Oil on panel with Zeitblom's characteristic clarity of form and bright, clean coloring. The architectural setting provides a rational framework for the Annunciation scene in the Swabian manner.