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The Annunciation
Aelbrecht Boutsc. 1480
The Cleveland Museum of Art
Cleveland, United States
Mary, depicted here as a seemingly ordinary, albeit affluent, woman, is interrupted by the archangel Gabriel while reading from a small book of hours in her home. The decor and furnishings, as well as the book, would have been familiar to any contemporary viewer. A model for women of the day, the Virgin Mary’s popularity was entwined with the popularity of books of hours, and the books contained numerous prayers to her. Mary was seen as the intercessor between humanity and God, hearing prayers and taking mercy on penitent individuals.
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Details
- Title: The Annunciation
- Creator: Albert Bouts (Netherlandish, 1451–55–1549)
- Date Created: c. 1480
- Physical Dimensions: Framed: 75.2 x 69 x 8.5 cm (29 5/8 x 27 3/16 x 3 3/8 in.); Unframed: 50.2 x 41.5 cm (19 3/4 x 16 5/16 in.)
- Provenance: Graf Sierstorpff, Driburg, Germany, [Sale: Rudolph Lepke's Kunst-Auctions-Haus, April 19, 1887, Berlin Germany, no. 106], Eugen Schweitzer (1888–1981), Berlin, Germany, (M. Knoedler & Company, New York, NY), John L. Severance (1863-1936), Cleveland, OH, The Cleveland Museum of Art, Cleveland, OH
- Type: Painting
- Rights: CC0
- External Link: https://clevelandart.org/art/1942.635
- Medium: oil on wood
- Fun Fact: Netherlandish artists are known for their attention to lifelike detail: notice the sliver of landscape through the window at the left of this composition.
- Department: Medieval Art
- Culture: Netherlands, Leuvuen, 15th century
- Credit Line: Bequest of John L. Severance
- Collection: MED - Medieval Art
- Accession Number: 1942.635
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