annunciatory angel thumbnail 1
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Not currently on display at the V&A

annunciatory angel

Relief
ca. 1480 (made)
Artist/Maker
Unknown
Place of origin
Italy (made)

The relief shows the Angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin that she would be the mother of Jesus. The hand of the Angel is raised in a gesture representing speech. The scene usually showns the Angel, the Virgin and the Dove symbolising the Holy Spirit descending towards her, often combined with other symbols. The feast of the Annunication is 25th March and its setting in spring is indicated by a vase of flowers, usually lilies which also symbolise the Virgin's purity. The arch on the left suggests that the Virgin was in an adjacent room which would have been represented on a separate panel.


Object details

Categories
Reliefs
Christianity
Religion
Object type
Relief
Titleannunciatory angel (generic title)
Materials and techniques
Istrian stone
Istrian Stone
Brief description
Relief, Istrian stone, an annunciatory angel, Italy (probably Venice), 1450-1500
Physical description
Relief. Istrian stone. Oblong. The relief, which is recessed within a foliated border, represents an interior with a brick wall at the back and two narrow arched doorways at the sides, that on the left open and that on the right closed. At the left of the relief is a large vase of lilies, and to its right is the Annunciatory Angel, represented in left profile with the right hand rasied in salutation and a lily in the left hand kneeling on a platform of cloud. In the background a wall marked to imitate bricks. There is a border of leaf moulding.
Dimensions
  • Height: 87.6cm
  • Width: 116.2cm
Object history
Purchased in London in 1881 from J.C Robinson. Acquired by Robinson during a journey in North Italy in October- November 1880.
Subject depicted
Gabriel (Archangel)
Summary
The relief shows the Angel Gabriel announcing to the Virgin that she would be the mother of Jesus. The hand of the Angel is raised in a gesture representing speech. The scene usually showns the Angel, the Virgin and the Dove symbolising the Holy Spirit descending towards her, often combined with other symbols. The feast of the Annunication is 25th March and its setting in spring is indicated by a vase of flowers, usually lilies which also symbolise the Virgin's purity. The arch on the left suggests that the Virgin was in an adjacent room which would have been represented on a separate panel.
Bibliographic references
  • List of Objects in the Art Division, South Kensington Museum acquired during the Year 1881. London, 1882, p. 4
  • MacLagan, E, and Longhurst, Margaret, H. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture. London, V&A, 1932, p.114
  • Pope-Hennessy, John. Catalogue of Italian Sculpture in the Victoria and Albert Museum. London, Her Majesty's Stationary Office, 1964, p. 362
Collection
Sculpture Collection
Accession number
33-1881

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Record createdJuly 14, 2008
Record URL
https://collections.vam.ac.uk/item/O159044/annunciatory-angel-relief-unknown/
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