Artwork
Embroidery with the Annunciation
Embroidery with the Annunciation is an unspecified painting. It dates from 1450 and is held in the collection of the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
About this work
Two figures in a room: a winged angel holding a branch, and a seated woman at a table with a book, a vase of flowers nearby. The Annunciation, worked entirely in tiny stitches, mostly gold and brown with touches of blue and red. Made around 1450, now at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
Subject & Meaning
The embroidery portrays the biblical moment of the Annunciation, showing the Archangel Gabriel greeting the Virgin Mary within an interior setting.
The embroidery portrays the biblical moment of the Annunciation, showing the Archangel Gabriel greeting the Virgin Mary within an interior setting. This subject, a cornerstone of Christian iconography, symbolizes the announcement of Christ’s incarnation and conveys themes of divine favor and obedient acceptance. Rendered around 1450, the work belongs to the religious art genre and was created anonymously, now housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art. Its depiction of Gabriel and Mary aligns with traditional visual cues used to identify the Annunciation scene.
Technique & Style
The work titled Embroidery with the Annunciation, dated 1450, is executed in embroidery technique on a textile support and belongs to the religious genre. It measures 21 cm by 9.5 cm and is classified as a painting. The piece is housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.
Its composition depicts an interior scene with the angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary, focusing on the Annunciation narrative. As an anonymous work, it exemplifies early Renaissance textile art through fine stitching that renders figures and spatial depth.
Legacy
The embroidery titled Embroidery with the Annunciation, dated to 1450, entered the Metropolitan Museum of Art’s collection, where it is catalogued as an anonymous religious painting that depicts the interior scene of the Annunciation with the archangel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary. Its classification as a religious work and inclusion in a major museum’s holdings have made it a reference point for scholarship on 15th‑century textile art and early Netherlandish visual culture, shaping later interpretations of devotional imagery in embroidery and influencing subsequent artistic representations of the Annunciation.
Overview
This textile artwork, titled Embroidery with the Annunciation, depicts the biblical moment when the Angel Gabriel informs the Virgin Mary of her impending divine motherhood. Rendered with intricate needlework, the piece captures the two central figures within a domestic interior. It is characterized by its meticulous detail and a palette dominated by warm gold and brown tones, accented with touches of blue and red. The work is part of the collection at The Metropolitan Museum of Art.
History & Provenance
Currently housed within the extensive collections of The Metropolitan Museum of Art, this embroidery represents a significant example of textile art from its period. Its acquisition and preservation by such an institution underscore its artistic and historical value. While specific details about its earlier ownership are not provided, its presence in a major museum ensures its continued study and public accessibility.
Artist & collection
