The Annunciation

Hans Memling

1480–89

The Annunciation by Hans Memling

Medium

Oil on panel, transferred to canvas

Dimensions

30 1/8 x 21 1/2 in. (76.5 x 54.6 cm)

Classification

Paintings

Department

Robert Lehman Collection

Museum

Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY

Credit

Robert Lehman Collection, 1975

Accession Number

1975.1.113

Tags

BedroomsArchangel GabrielAnnunciationAngelsVirgin Mary

Art Historical Context

In the serene glow of Hans Memling's *The Annunciation* (0–89), we witness a pivotal moment in Christian theology: the Archangel Gabriel announcing to the Mary that she will conceive Jesus. Painted in oil on panel—later transferred to canvas—this intimate 30⅛ × 21½-inch work exemplifies the Early Netherlandish style of the Northern Renaissance. Memling, leading Bruges master influenced by Jan van Eyck masterfully employs oil's glazing techniques for luminous depth, rendering fabrics, architecture, and ethereal figures with exquisite realism. Set in a domestic bedroom, as suggested by the comp...

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