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The Annunciation (or Ecce Ancilla Domini)
1850
72.4 x 41.9 cm
oil on canvas
Rossetti belonged to a group of Victorian artists - the Pre Raphaelite brotherhood - who wanted to emulate the richness and purity of the medieval period in their art.
In this painting white dominates, only relieved by small areas of blue, red and yellow. This emphasises the quality of the Virgin's purity. The Angel Gabriel offers Mary a lily - a flower which always denotes purity when shown alongside the Virgin Mary - as he tells Mary she is to bear the Christ child.
This painting is unusual in that Mary is shown in a state of fear - she cowers against the wall and casts her eyes down. This contrasts with many artistic depictions of the annunciation where Mary is shown in a state of humble acceptance.
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