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The Annunciation
c.1500
49.5 x 61.9 cm
Tempera on wood panel

The archangel Gabriel holds a lily in his hand as he tells Mary that she will give birth to Jesus the Son of God. The golden rays that shoot across the picture towards Mary represent God's grace penetrating the Virgin.

The architecture in the background would have been recognised by contemporaries of Botticelli. The series of rooms and loggias (open sided galleries) were very fashionable in Botticelli's city of Florence and also enabled the artist to show off his skill with perspective.

The golden rays disappear behind the central pillar and then reappear again to give a greater illusion of depth.
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The Annunciation

The Annunciation
Sandro Botticelli
Mclellan Gallery, Glasgow

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Your Perspective

Angela O'Flanagan, Dublin
I think this painting of the Annunciation by Botticelli is unequalled as an image depicting the true meaning of Christmas.

Zlata Hume, Bucks
I love his annunciation this one and the one in Florence. All other artist depict the Madona in bliss, but B shows her distress, as it would be if you tell virgin that she will expect a child. In Frolence's painting Madonna's body curves away from the angel, you can feel the enormity of the news. Love it.

Simran Sachdeva
I am in grade five and I am workink on famous artist. I picked Botticelli as my Artist because I loved his Painting.

JOHN BALL BECKENHAM KENT
The artist seems to have encompassed urgency, grace, reverence and apprehension. Sublime!

Helen J . Wilkie from Scotland
The Boy Could PAINT! Remark I Made in front of Botticelli painting in the Uffizi, Florence



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