Artwork
Annunciation to the Virgin
Annunciation to the Virgin is an oil painting by the Rococo painting artist Bartolomé Esteban Murillo. It is held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
Its iconography includes a flower, a basket, a book, and a symbolic depiction of the Holy Spirit, all rendered in oil on panel.
The painting illustrates the Annunciation, portraying the Virgin Mary and the Angel Gabriel within a modest interior setting. Its iconography includes a flower, a basket, a book, and a symbolic depiction of the Holy Spirit, all rendered in oil on panel. The composition belongs to the religious genre characteristic of Murillo's oeuvre and underscores the theological significance of the divine message announcing the incarnation, emphasizing humility and sacred revelation.
Technique & Style
The work is executed in oil paint on a wooden panel support. The panel is modest in scale, measuring 30.3 cm in height by 23 cm in width, a small format suited to private devotion rather than public altarpiece display. The intimate dimensions allowed for fine detail in the rendering of the figures of Mary and Gabriel, the accompanying attributes of a flower, basket, and book, and the symbolic presence of the Holy Spirit.
Murillo's mature handling of soft modeling, warm tonalities, and tender human characterization is evident in the refined brushwork and delicate glazing techniques characteristic of his cabinet pictures and private commissions.
History & Provenance
The painting Annunciation to the Virgin by Bartolomé Esteban Murillo is currently held in the collection of the Rijksmuseum in Amsterdam, bearing the museum's inventory number SK-A-4704. The work depicts the biblical scene of the Annunciation with figures including Mary, Gabriel, and the Holy Spirit. It measures 30.3 cm in height and 23 cm in width and is executed in oil on panel. No specific exhibition history or temporary loan details are provided in the source material.
Overview
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo's Annunciation to the Virgin, an oil painting from approximately 1750, exemplifies the Rococo style. It portrays the biblical moment when the archangel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will bear the son of God. The work is held in the Rijksmuseum collection and reflects Murillo's characteristic blend of religious narrative with a serene, contemplative mood.
Context
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo was a leading Spanish Baroque painter, celebrated for both his sacred subjects and his genre scenes of contemporary life. While rooted in the Baroque tradition, this work, dated to his later career, also reflects the decorative and lighter qualities associated with the emerging Rococo style, illustrating the evolving artistic trends of the mid-18th century.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Bartolomé Esteban Murillo ( mure-IL-oh, m(y)uu-REE-oh, Spanish:; late December 1617, baptised 1 January 1618 – 3 April 1682) was a Spanish Baroque painter.
