The Annunciation

Bartolo di Fredi, one of the leading Sienese painters of the second half of the 14th century, created this Annunciation panel around 1383. The Annunciation — Gabriel's announcement to Mary of the Incarnation — was among the most frequently depicted subjects in Gothic art, marking the pivotal moment when divine purpose entered human history. Bartolo di Fredi maintained the lyrical elegance of the Sienese tradition established by Simone Martini and the Lorenzetti brothers while developing a more robust and expressive personal style.

Painted in egg tempera with gold ground on panel, the Annunciation features the traditional facing composition of Gabriel and the Virgin separated by a symbolic architectural element. Bartolo di Fredi's characteristically vivid palette and expressive figure drawing bring dramatic energy to this iconic devotional subject.