Design for an Altar with the Annunciation in the Central Panel
18th century
Medium
Pen and brown ink, brush and brown wash, over leadpoint or graphite. Framing outlines in brush and brown wash
Dimensions
sheet: 7 5/16 x 6 5/16 in. (18.5 x 16 cm)
Classification
Drawings
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Gift of Leon Dalva Sr., 1965
Accession Number
65.654.107
Tags
Art Historical Context
This exquisite preparatory drawing, created by an anonymous Italian artist from Piedmont in the 18th century presents a design for an altar the Annunciation as its central panel. The Annunciation—depicting the angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin Mary her divine conception of Christ—is a cornerstone of Christian iconography, often rendered in altarpieces to inspire devotion in church settings. Housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art Drawings and Prints department, sheet measures a compact 7 5/16 x 6 5/16 inches, suggesting it served as a detailed proposal for sculptural execution. Crafted ...