The Annunciation
late 15th century
Medium
Engraving
Dimensions
sheet: 7 1/2 x 6 1/16 in. (19 x 15.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Felix M. Warburg, 1925
Accession Number
25.5.1
Tags
Art Historical Context
In the late 15th century, the enigmatic Master FVB, an anonymous Netherlandish engraver, created *The Annunciation*, a delicate engraving measuring 7 1/2 x 6 1/16 inches. This print captures the pivotal biblical moment when the angel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will conceive Jesus, a scene rich with spiritual symbolism. The composition likely unfolds in an intimate bedchamber, evoking the domestic piety of Northern Renaissance art, with motifs like beds and angelic figures emphasizing Mary's humility and divine favor. Engraving, as a medium, revolutionized image-making durin...