Annunciation to Joachim

Albrecht Altdorfer

National Gallery of Art

This image depicts a figure reaching towards a larger figure resting on a cloud, with a pastoral landscape and sheep in the background. The artwork is rendered in a monochromatic, illustrative style with strong, defined line work. The central figure has outstretched arms towards another figure on a cloud above, depicted in a reclining position. The scene is set in a rural landscape with distant hills or mountains and a flock of sheep. The artwork suggests storytelling themes, resembling works by early Renaissance or Northern European artists.