“The Annunciation” by Fra Angelico.
The painting “The Annunciation” by Fra Angelico is a good example of early Renaissance artwork. The basic distinctive feature of Renaissance art was the invention of perspective, or showing three dimensions on a flat surface of the painting. The majority of the Renaissance artists used classical Greek style and mythology. In addition, they focused on secular themes and individuals, which we can see when the artist is putting supernatural and religious characters into human reality, or representing individuals: citizens, kings, or politicians, and even children. What also separates Renaissance techniques from Medieval techniques is the use of color, light and shade. The good example of it could be making a viewer know where the light source is without actually painting the light source.
The message of this piece of artwork in completely religious: it is, basically, showing a scene from The Bible. The Archangel Gabriel is announcing that Mary will bear The Jesus, The Son Of God.…show more content… Mary is sitting in the modest posture; there is a book on her lap. Apparently, the emergence of the angel had interrupted her reading. Angel is leaning forward towards Mary, one hand pointing at Her, and the other making a gesture: “Be quite!”. Artist feigned the annunciation as words coming out of Gabriel’s mouth. We should pay a special attention to their clothing. Artist had represented a fabric and its folds very naturally. Columns and arches show the viewer the perspective. It is interesting that two front columns overlap the main figures, separating Mary and The Archangel in two different sections. Fra Angelico used a golden powder to some details. “The Annunciation” was painted for the north corridor of the San Marco monastery in 1430’s. It has been copied several times, by his pupils in particular. The original can be found in the Diocesan Museum of