Annunciation

"The Annunciation" painted in 1344 by the Italian medieval artist Ambrogio Lorenzetti, is a captivating masterpiece currently housed in the Pinacoteca Nazionale in Siena, Italy. Originally, this artwork adorned the Office of the Tax within Siena's communal government, specifically placed in the Consistory Hall of the Palazzo Pubblico.

In this painting, Lorenzetti captures the profound moment when the angel Gabriel announces to Mary that she will conceive Jesus while the miraculous conception takes place. The angel is depicted speaking the Latin phrase "Non est (erit) impossibile apud Deum omne verbum" ("Nothing is impossible with God's word"), which appears as a ribbon of text between his mouth and Mary's chest. Mary, gazing upwards, responds with the words "Ecce Ancilla Domini" ("Here is the handmaid of the Lord").

The painting is a testament to Lorenzetti's mature style, reflecting the influences he absorbed after 1335 during his time in Siena. The geometrical perspective visible in the pavement and the use of chiaroscuro to add depth to the faces and drapery are reminiscent of Giotto's techniques, which Lorenzetti likely encountered in Florence.