Italy / c. 1580
The Annunciation
The Cleveland Museum of Art catalogs The Annunciation as painting (Italy · c. 1580).
The white lilies held by Gabriel are a symbol of Mary's purity and innocence, often appearing in depictions of the Annunciation.
A CLOSER LOOK
The museum identifies this painting as oil on canvas and credits Paolo Veronese (Italian, 1528–1588).
The museum's collection notes: Although Veronese is best known for his large-scale, pageant-like presentations, here the artist has taken the narrative of the Annunciation (the announcement of the angel Gabriel to the Virgin Mary that she would conceive and bear a son) and compressed the figures close to one another, creating a startling intimacy. According to a tradition established by the medieval writer Saint Bernard, Mary has been reading from the Old Testament prophecy of Isaiah (7:14), "A young woman is with child and she will bear a son."
FOLLOW THE EVIDENCE
The Cleveland Museum of ArtThe AnnunciationOriginal explanation based on the sources above. Images carry their own reuse terms.