Jan Van Eyck Anunciation Essay

Another potential benefit to the selection of van Eyck’s The Annunciation is that the subject matter and style of the piece reflect the dominant themes and styles explored during the Northern Renaissance. Art created during this period explored the human form, often depicted in more natural settings; a significant portion of the work was religious in nature as Renaissance artists were often commissioned by churches and other religious institutions. Many of the annunciation scenes painted during this period followed this form. While it would be difficult to consider the arrival of an angel and immaculate conception to be realistic subjects, many of annunciation scenes created during this period were conveyed with a more natural lens. Writing

While the painting is chock-full of religious iconography, some plainly obvious and others harder to decipher, the actual moment itself is depicted with a far more “realistic” lens. In the article Hidden Symbolism in Jan Van Eyck’s Annunciations published in The Art Bulletin, John Ward writes that Van Eyck’s Annunciations “present the most innovative and complex interplay between naturally rendered detail and disguised symbolism.” Ward is indeed correct. The moment itself is recreated in a manner that is rather would be considered rather accessible to a viewer. The architectural structure behind them is easily determined to be associated with religion, likely a church or other place of worship. Light streams in from the windows as if from a picture, and the footstool, vase of flowers, and open book serve to strengthen the naturalism of the moment. One noteworthy element, however, is the scale of Mary and Gabriel against the architectural structure behind them. While they are in the foreground of the piece, they appear rather large versus the scale of the columns behind them. This depiction of Mary and Gabriel may likely have been a deliberate choice to reinforce the prominence of these two figures, and the moment, in Biblical and Christian