The Annunciation by Simone Martini, a Gothic Splendor
The Annunciation by Simone Martini and his brother-in-law Lippo Memmi is the supreme masterpiece of Sienese Gothic painting, made in 1333. Against a ground of pure gold, the angel Gabriel kneels before the Virgin Mary to tell her she will bear the Son of God. The panel was painted for Siena Cathedral and now hangs in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. The museum records its medium as tempera and gold on wood.
Everything in the picture is elegance and line. Gabriel has just alighted, his patterned cloak still swirling, an olive branch in his hand and a crown of olive on his head. From his lips, in raised letters of gold, run the words of his greeting. The Virgin draws back, startled, wrapping herself in her deep blue cloak.
Between them stands a vase of white lilies, and above, a dove descends in a ring of winged angels. There is no room, no landscape, only shimmering gold, which lifts the scene out of ordinary space into eternity.
It is signed and dated by both painters, a rare thing for the time. Readers can place it among the great Annunciation paintings of Christian art.
The History of the Annunciation
The altarpiece was painted in 1333 for the altar of Sant’Ansano in Siena Cathedral, one of a series of great altarpieces honoring the city’s patron saints. Along the base runs the signature of Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi of Siena, with the date in Roman numerals.
The central panel shown here was once flanked by side panels of Saint Ansanus and Saint Margaret, with roundels of Old Testament prophets above. The work remained in Siena for centuries before being moved to the Uffizi, where it is now one of the treasures of medieval Italian art. More of the painter can be seen in our overview of Simone Martini’s paintings.
The Angel Gabriel
On the left kneels the archangel Gabriel, his great wings still raised, his plaid cloak rippling from the speed of his arrival. He wears a crown of olive and holds an olive branch, a sign of peace, offered to the Virgin.
From his mouth runs his greeting, set in raised golden letters across the gold ground, “AVE GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM,” Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee. Few paintings have made the spoken word so visible, turning Gabriel’s message into a line of gold reaching toward Mary.
The Virgin’s Recoil
On the right, the Virgin Mary sits on a carved throne, interrupted at her reading. She does not welcome the angel calmly. She twists away, drawing her blue cloak around her, her head bowed and her face shadowed with unease.
This wary, almost fearful Mary is one of the most striking things in the painting. Long before the Renaissance, Simone Martini gives her a deep human response, the trouble and hesitation of a young woman faced with an overwhelming message. It is a moment of real feeling set within a world of gold.
The Lily and the Dove
Between the two figures rises a vase holding white lilies, the ancient symbol of the Virgin’s purity, standing on the floor like a still, silent witness to the scene.
Above, the dove of the Holy Spirit descends toward Mary, surrounded by a ring of small winged seraphim set into the gold. Together the lily and the dove make the meaning plain. By the power of the Holy Spirit, the pure Virgin will conceive, and the Word will be made flesh.
Sienese Gothic Splendor
The beauty of The Annunciation lies in its pure design. Simone Martini works in flowing, unbroken lines, elongated figures and rich, glowing color, all set against a flat field of gold that denies ordinary space.
This is the height of the International Gothic style, courtly, refined and precious. Yet it is never merely decorative. The sweeping curve that links the angel’s gesture, the golden words and the recoiling Virgin carries the whole drama of the Incarnation in a single elegant rhythm.
Conclusion
In The Annunciation, Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi turned the meeting of angel and Virgin into a vision of gold and grace. The crowned messenger, the words of light, the lily, the dove and the troubled Mary together form one of the most beautiful religious images of the Middle Ages.
Nearly seven centuries old, signed by its makers and now in the Uffizi, it remains the shining summit of Sienese Gothic art, a moment of divine news held forever in gold.
Artwork Information
| Artwork | Artist | Date | Medium | Current Location |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| The Annunciation | Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi | 1333 | Tempera and gold on wood | Uffizi Gallery, Florence |
Five Facts About Simone Martini’s Annunciation
- The Annunciation is a tempera and gold panel by Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi, kept in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence.
- It was painted in 1333 for the altar of Sant’Ansano in Siena Cathedral.
- The angel Gabriel’s greeting, “Ave gratia plena, Dominus tecum,” is written in raised gold letters across the background.
- The Virgin is shown recoiling, troubled and wary, a striking moment of human feeling for its time.
- A vase of white lilies stands for the Virgin’s purity, while the dove of the Holy Spirit descends from above.
FAQ
What does Simone Martini’s Annunciation depict?
It shows the Annunciation, the moment when the angel Gabriel tells the Virgin Mary that she will be the mother of Christ. The Annunciation sets the scene against a ground of pure gold.
What are the gold words coming from the angel’s mouth?
They are Gabriel’s greeting in Latin, “AVE GRATIA PLENA DOMINUS TECUM,” meaning “Hail, full of grace, the Lord is with thee,” set in raised gold letters across the background.
What do the lily and the dove mean?
The white lilies stand for the Virgin Mary’s purity, and the descending dove represents the Holy Spirit, by whose power she will conceive. Together they sum up the meaning of the Annunciation.
Why does the Virgin look uneasy?
Simone Martini shows Mary drawing back and troubled, rather than serenely accepting. This human hesitation, unusual for the period, gives the sacred event a striking sense of real emotion.
Who painted the Annunciation and when?
It was painted in 1333 by Simone Martini and his brother-in-law Lippo Memmi, both of Siena, who signed and dated the work along its base.
Where is Simone Martini’s Annunciation today?
It is in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence, having been made for Siena Cathedral.
Where can I buy a reproduction of the Annunciation by Simone Martini?
The shop at jesuschrist.pictures offers museum-quality canvas reproductions of the great Christian paintings, and the collection keeps growing; it is the best place to look for a reproduction of the Annunciation by Simone Martini.
