Artwork
The Annunciation
The Annunciation is a tempera painting by the Early Renaissance artist Sassetta. It dates from 1435 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Subject & Meaning
The Metropolitan Museum of Art classifies the genre as religious art, emphasizing its function within a spiritual context rather than a secular one.
The work depicts the Annunciation, a central event in Christian theology where the Archangel Gabriel announces to the Virgin Mary that she will conceive and bear the Son of God. As a piece of religious art created in 1435 by Sassetta, the painting focuses exclusively on this biblical narrative. The subject matter defines the composition as a devotional image intended to illustrate the moment of the Incarnation.
The Metropolitan Museum of Art classifies the genre as religious art, emphasizing its function within a spiritual context rather than a secular one.
Technique & Style
Created by Sassetta in 1435, The Annunciation is executed in tempera on a wooden panel. The work measures 73 cm in height and 41 cm in width. Classified as a religious painting, the piece depicts the Annunciation scene with the formal qualities typical of the artist's style during this period. The medium and support reflect the standard techniques for panel painting of the mid-15th century.
History & Provenance
The Annunciation is a tempera painting on panel measuring 73 cm by 41 cm, executed circa 1435 by the Sienese artist Sassetta (Stefano di Giovanni). The work belongs to the religious genre of early fifteenth‑century Sienese art and was created as a devotional image. Following its execution, it entered the collection of Robert Lehman, who later bequeathed it to the Metropolitan Museum of Art, where it remains on view.
Its provenance thus traces from the artist’s workshop to a private collector and finally to a public museum.
The painting is held by the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York, where it is recorded as part of the Robert Lehman Collection. It bears the museum’s accession number 1975.1.60.
The work was included in the exhibition “The Robert Lehman Collection: Paintings,” held at the Metropolitan Museum of Art from October 1975 to January 1976.
Overview
Sassetta's The Annunciation, painted in tempera in 1435, depicts a pivotal moment from Christian scripture. This work by Stefano di Giovanni di Consolo, known as Sassetta, is a significant example of early Renaissance art from the Sienese School. It showcases the artist's distinctive approach to religious narrative, combining traditional elements with emerging artistic innovations. The painting is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
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Artist & collection
Artist
Stefano di Giovanni di Consolo, known as il Sassetta (c. 1392–1450) was a Tuscan painter of the Renaissance, and a significant figure of the Sienese School. While working within the Sienese tradition, he innovated the…
