Kaisheimer Altar: Verkündigung Mariens

Hans Holbein the Elder painted the Annunciation as part of the Kaisheim Altar in 1502 for the Cistercian abbey. The Annunciation scene occupied a significant position in the altarpiece program, representing the beginning of the salvation narrative that culminated in the Passion scenes. Holbein's treatment balances liturgical formality with naturalistic detail. The tempera medium required careful preparation on a gessoed panel and a disciplined layering technique that produced precise, durable surfaces suited to the intricate detail expected of devotional painting.

Oil on panel with Holbein's refined palette and careful spatial construction. The Annunciation setting combines architectural precision with atmospheric effects that anticipate Renaissance developments in German painting.