The Annunciation

Hendrik Goltzius

National Gallery of Art

The image depicts two figures. The figure on the left is seated and facing slightly towards the right. She has a serene facial expression with her eyes downcast. Her hair is covered with a veil and she is wearing a long gown. The environment includes a bench or pedestal she is seated on and an open book nearby. The figure on the right is kneeling on the ground, facing the seated figure. This person has wavy hair falling to their shoulders and wings attached to their back. They hold a long stem with flowers in one hand. In the background, there are clouds and rays of light emanating from a central point where a dove is depicted, surrounded by several small cherubic figures with wings. The background engraving portrays cherubs and bearded figures within the clouds.