The Annunciation By Pinturchio Analysis

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In Bernardino Pinturicchio’s The Annunciation the frequently depicted biblical scene is rendered in a remarkably realistic setting. It is set as if we’re looking through the rounded arch in the foreground straight into the realm of angels and the Virgin Mary herself. In fact, the entire composition suggests an instant of time caught glancing through a window. The painting as a whole is more realistic than many previous Annunciation scenes, which brings the divine closer to our realm and down to the viewer’s level. This has the effect of making a mythical and renowned scene seem relatable and lifelike. The most striking aspect of the piece at first glance is the perspective. The geometric perspective gives the scene a palpable sense of depth …show more content…

In the background through the loggia in which the Virgin Mary stands, a town on a hilltop can be discerned. Numerous details of Arcadian activities are in the background, including a woman drawing water from a well and a sort of gathering or feast. However, it also appears that there is a battle playing out in the town. The villagers look blissfully unaware, but there is some indication that some of the warlike riders are coming towards the rustics. The wonderfully detailed background provides a startling juxtaposition to the heavenly scene playing out in the focus of the fresco. Tiny black riders thunder towards the town’s gate, while the cities defenders poke their spears out before them, the battle is about to commence. A man, just a dark blob at this distance, lays prostrate on the ground taking the blows of the two fighters standing over him. All of this plays out in the background of the holy scene of Annunciation. More than any other aspect of the fresco, this brings this heavenly event down to earth. As the Archangel Gabriel informs Mary of the imminent miracle of immaculate conception and the coming of Jesus Christ, men battle and people live out their lives behind

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