The Annunciation
ca. 1470–80
Medium
Metalcut, hand-colored in green, yellow, and red
Dimensions
plate: 2 3/8 x 1 13/16 in. (6 x 4.6 cm) sheet: 2 13/16 x 2 1/8 in. (7.1 x 5.4 cm)
Classification
Prints
Department
Drawings and Prints
Museum
Metropolitan Museum of Art, New York, NY
Credit
Bequest of James Clark McGuire, 1930
Accession Number
31.54.178
Tags
Art Historical Context
Step into the intimate world of late medieval devotion with *The Annunciation*, a metalcut print created by an anonymous artist from Cologne, Germany, around 1470–80. This tiny treasure captures the pivotal biblical moment when the Archangel Gabriel announces the Virgin Mary that she conceive Jesus, a scene central to Christian iconography. Rendered at just 2 3/8 x 1 13/16 inches, it was likely designed for personal prayer books or private altars, reflecting the era's deep piety in the Rhineland, a hub of artistic production amid the Late Gothic style. The artwork's rarity lies in its metalcu...