The Annunciation is a c. 1473 - c. 1476 Italian Renaissance oil on wood painting by Leonardo da Vinci, made in his 20s when he was an apprentice at Andrea del Verrocchio's workshop in Florence. Nothing is known about either its originally intended location or who commissioned it.
Based on the Gospel of Luke, the painting represents the Angel Gabriel greeting The Virgin Mary and interrupting her reading of The Bible to announce to her that she is destined to give birth to the son of God.
Though the work has been criticized for inaccuracies in its composition, it has become one the most iconic portrayals of the Annunciation in Christian art. It is housed in the Galleria degli Uffizi museum in Florence.
Tropes in this painting:
- Angelic Beauty: The Angel Gabriel is depicted as a beautiful young man with wings.
- Archangel Gabriel: The other character depicted in the painting besides the Virgin Mary.
- Art Imitates Art: Mary's lectern resembles the tomb of Piero di Cosimo de' Medici "The Gouty" in Florence, which was made by Leonardo's master Andrea del Verrocchio.
- Artistic License – Biology: Mary's right arm (the one resting on the lectern) is too long compared to the left one.
- Holy Halo: There's a halo of holiness over Mary's head and a smaller one over the Angel gabriel's head.
- Winged Humanoid: The Angel Gabriel has feathered wings.
