Description
Mary gazes down at the angel Gabriel as he kneels reverently, like a humble messenger, delivering the news that Mary will give birth to the son of God. His multicolored wings are forced within the boundary line of the painting field, visually implying a sense of subordination.
Unlike many of the paintings in the Mirror of Holiness, the Annunciation is a familiar subject in European art, but the emphases vary. The Indian version depicts her as a queen, with a crown held above her head and attendants standing by.
Unlike many of the paintings in the Mirror of Holiness, the Annunciation is a familiar subject in European art, but the emphases vary. The Indian version depicts her as a queen, with a crown held above her head and attendants standing by.
Provenance
An Indian family in Great Britain, whose grandfather brought the manuscript to England in the 1930s or 1940s (before 1930s–2005); (Oliver Forge and Brendan Lynch Ltd., London, England, sold to the Cleveland Museum of Art) (2005); The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH (2005–)
The Annunciation (folio 15 recto), from a Mirror of Holiness (Mir’at al-quds) of Father Jerome Xavier
1602–4
Accession Number
2005.145.15.a
Medium
Gum tempera, ink, and gold on paper
Dimensions
Page: 26.2 x 15.4 cm (10 5/16 x 6 1/16 in.)
Classification
Manuscript
Credit Line
John L. Severance Fund
