Angel Annunciate

This Angel Annunciate by Giovanni del Biondo was designed as the left panel of an Annunciation diptych, paired with the corresponding Virgin Annunciate also in the Detroit Institute of Arts. Giovanni del Biondo, one of the most prolific painters in late Trecento Florence, produced numerous versions of this subject for churches and private patrons. The Annunciation was the single most important subject in Florentine art, as the feast of the Annunciation (March 25) marked the beginning of the Florentine calendar year.

Painted in egg tempera on gold-ground panel, the archangel Gabriel is depicted in an elegant pose of greeting with refined drapery and delicate wings. The tooled gold background and ornamental punchwork halo are executed with the technical precision characteristic of Giovanni's prolific Florentine workshop.