Who painted The Annunciation?

The Annunciation was painted by Maestro de la Sisla in 1500.

Where can I see The Annunciation?

The Annunciation is held by Museo del Prado.

What movement is The Annunciation?

The Annunciation is associated with Early Renaissance.

The Annunciation by Maestro de la Sisla (1500)

About this work

Subject & Meaning

As a religious panel painted in a mixed technique, the work functions as a devotional image, inviting viewers to meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation.

The painting depicts the Annunciation, the biblical episode in which the Archangel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will conceive Jesus. The work is classified as religious art and centers on this moment of divine revelation as its main subject.

Within the composition, a book is explicitly identified among the depicted elements, a standard iconographic attribute associated with the Virgin Mary, signifying her devotion, scriptural reading, and contemplative preparation at the moment of the angelic visitation.

As a religious panel painted in a mixed technique, the work functions as a devotional image, inviting viewers to meditate on the mystery of the Incarnation. The monumental scale, with a height of 200 cm, lends the encounter a ceremonial gravity appropriate to its sacred subject, presenting the Annunciation as a moment of theological significance rather than a private narrative.

Technique & Style

Created around 1500 by the Maestro de la Sisla, this religious painting employs a mixed technique executed on a wooden panel support. The work measures 200 cm in height and 100 cm in width. Stylistically, the composition focuses on the Annunciation, incorporating a book as a key depicted element within the scene.

The piece is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado, having previously been associated with the Museo de la Trinidad.

History & Provenance

The Annunciation was created in 1500 by the artist known as the Maestro de la Sisla. Executed in a mixed technique on panel, this religious work measures 200 cm in height and 100 cm in width. The painting entered the collection of the Museo de la Trinidad before being transferred to the Museo del Prado in Madrid, where it is currently held under the inventory number P001254.

The work depicts the biblical scene of the Annunciation and includes a book as a significant visual element within the composition.

The Annunciation by the Maestro de la Sisla is currently held in the collection of the Museo del Prado in Madrid. The work is cataloged under the inventory number P001254. It was formerly part of the Museo de la Trinidad before its transfer to the Prado.

The painting, created around 1500, depicts the religious subject of the Annunciation using a mixed technique on panel.

Overview

Created circa 1500, The Annunciation is a mixed‑technique panel attributed to the Master of La Sisla, an artist linked to the altarpiece panels of the Monastery of Santa María de Sisla. The work is now held in the Museo del Prado and presents the biblical moment when the archangel Gabriel informs the Virgin Mary of her forthcoming role as mother of Christ.

Context

Within the broader tradition of Annunciation imagery, this work aligns with Iberian interpretations that emphasize modest interiors and intimate interaction between the divine messenger and the Virgin. The darkened background, a modest bed, and a modest window echo contemporary domestic settings, reinforcing the theological message that the sacred event unfolds within ordinary human space.

Artist & collection

Artist

Maestro de la Sisla

The Master of La Sisla (active c.1500) is the name given to an anonymous artist who painted the panels for the altarpiece at the Monastery of Santa María de Sisla, near Toledo; now preserved at the Museo del Prado.