The Annunciation1380s · Study 1954.393

Context from the museum

This small but opulent panel painting was once joined to another panel with hinges to form a diptych. Given its small size, its original function was for private devotional use. It could be folded like a book when not in use and was highly portable. The missing panel has not been positively identified but probably represented another biblical scene like the Crucifixion. The painting’s refined and ornate style reflects the courtly aesthetic that appealed to royal and aristocratic patrons in the decades around 1400. On the panel’s richly tooled reverse (not visible) are the arms of the house of Hainault quartered with those of Bavaria. While this coat of arms is certainly that of the work’s patron, probably a member of the united dynasties of Hainault and Bavaria, their identity remains elusive.

Museum description reproduced from its CC0 open-access record. Read the original catalog entry.

A detail to notice

In this depiction of Gabriel, the angel's wings resemble the feathers of a peacock.

Observation supplied by the Cleveland Museum of Art.

Read the dimensions before the image

The selected image measurement for The Annunciation is 22.7 cm wide and 31 cm high, equivalent to approximately 8.9 × 12.2 inches. Dividing width by height gives a format ratio of 0.73:1. The rectangular bounding area is 0.07 square meters; it describes the measured footprint, not the amount of paint or the monetary value.

On an illustrative 300 cm wall, the recorded width occupies 7.6% of the span before adding a frame. A centered placement leaves approximately 138.7 cm on each side before adding a frame. These are calculations by Physical Art For Crypto using museum measurements. They are not the museum’s display recommendations.

Questions to bring to your own collection

With The Annunciation in view, identify one feature you can point to, then distinguish what the museum records from your personal response. Keep its medium, tempera and oil with gold on wood, in your notes when comparing contemporary works.

• Which part of this vertical composition catches your eye first?
• Would a 22.7 cm width still suit the space after allowing for furniture and a frame?
• What surface detail would you need to see in person or in a close photograph?