The Annunciation, c. 1480, Martin Schongauer, German, c. 1440/53–1491, 6 3/8 x 4 7/16 in. ( x cm) (image), Engraving, Germany, 15th century, The angel Gabriel tells Mary, a virgin, that she will bear the son of God, Jesus. Martin Schongauer fills the tender scene with delicacy and grace. As had already become customary by his time, he shows Mary as having been interrupted while at prayer, but his unusually tight composition, with Gabriel approaching Mary from behind, emphasizes the element of surprise. In another innovation, he gave Gabriel a laurel crown

---

Size: 3571px × 5039px
Location:
Photo credit: © Penta Springs / Alamy / Afripics
License: Licensed
Model Released: No

Keywords: 1440/53–1491, 1480, 15th, angel, annunciation, approaching, associations, bear, catch, century, composition, crown, customary, delicacy, dove, element, emphasizes, engraving, fills, gabriel, gave, german, germany, glimpse, god, grace, holy, image, impregnate, innovation, interrupted, jesus, laurel, love, martin, mary, power, prayer, scene, schongauer, sky, son, spirit, surprise, symbolized, tells, tender, tight, time, unusually, virgin