The Annunciation

Fedricio Fiori Barocci - “Annunciation” - 1582-84 - Oil on canvas, 248 x 170 cm - Pinacoteca, Vatican (click photo for larger image)Federico Fiori Barocci (c. 1526-1612) was a leading painter of the Central Italian School—and an important precursor of the Baroque. He created this “Annunciation” or the chapel of Francesco Maria II della Rovere, duke of Urbino. In 1797, the altarpiece was seized by French troops and transferred to Paris, where it remained until 1815. “Probably because of damage caused on its journey to Paris, the panel was first placed on a cloth base, but since this proved too light in weight, it became necessary to transfer it onto a stronger canvas.” A preparatory drawing—completed either by the artist or his workshop—was used to develop a number of copies of this painting. The lilies held in the hand of the Angel Gabriel are one of the most familiar attributes of the Virgin Mary—a symbol of her purity.