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The Annunciation

A work made of wool, silk, and gilt- and silvered-metal-strip-wrapped silk, slit, dovetailed and interlocking tapestry weave.
CC0 Public Domain Designation

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  • A work made of wool, silk, and gilt- and silvered-metal-strip-wrapped silk, slit, dovetailed and interlocking tapestry weave.

Date:

1484/1519

Artist:

After a design by an artist in the circle of Andrea Mantegna (Italian, 1431–1506)

About this artwork

One of the very few Italian tapestries to survive from before the 1540s, The Annunciation depicts the archangel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary that she will bear the son of God. This is one of the most sacred events in the Christian faith, as it is the very beginning of Christ’s life and the Incarnation of the Word. The scene is charged with symbolism: the moment of conception is represented by the dove—standing for the Holy Spirit—in the sky between Gabriel and Mary; the archangel holds a lily, a symbol of purity; and in the near foreground are a guinea fowl and a peacock, both of which signify immortality, and two doves that represent the souls of the blessed. The coats of arms at the top belong to Francesco II Gonzaga (1466–1519), marquis of Mantua, and were added at an unknown date after the initial weaving had taken place. Such personalization of tapestry acquisitions was typical among noble families.

Status

Currently Off View

Department

Textiles

Artist

Circle of Andrea Mantegna (Designer)

Title

The Annunciation

Place

Mantua (Object made in)

Date  Dates are not always precisely known, but the Art Institute strives to present this information as consistently and legibly as possible. Dates may be represented as a range that spans decades, centuries, dynasties, or periods and may include qualifiers such as c. (circa) or BCE.

Made 1484–1519

Medium

Wool, silk, and gilt- and silvered-metal-strip-wrapped silk, slit, dovetailed and interlocking tapestry weave

Dimensions

179.4 × 113.7 cm (70 5/8 × 44 3/4 in.)

Credit Line

Bequest of Mr. and Mrs. Martin A. Ryerson

Reference Number

1937.1099

IIIF Manifest  The International Image Interoperability Framework (IIIF) represents a set of open standards that enables rich access to digital media from libraries, archives, museums, and other cultural institutions around the world.

Learn more.

https://api.artic.edu/api/v1/artworks/111307/manifest.json

Extended information about this artwork

Object information is a work in progress and may be updated as new research findings emerge. To help improve this record, please email . Information about image downloads and licensing is available here.

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