The Annunciation
Unknown Artist
1380s
Medium
tempera and oil with gold on wood
Dimensions
35.2 × 26.5 × 1.6 cm · image: 31 × 22.7 cm
Classification
Painting
Department
Medieval Art
Museum
Cleveland Museum of Art
Credit
Mr. and Mrs. William H. Marlatt Fund
Accession Number
1954.393
About this artwork
This small but opulent panel painting was once joined to another panel with hinges to form a diptych. Given its small size, its original function was for private devotional use. It could be folded like a book when not in use and was highly portable. The missing panel has not been positively identified but probably represented another biblical scene like the Crucifixion. The painting’s refined and ornate style reflects the courtly aesthetic that appealed to royal and aristocratic patrons in the d...