The Virgin Annunciate 1482

Carlo Crivelli painted The Virgin Annunciate sometime in the second half of the 15th century, using tempera on wood. While painting was certainly considered a fine art, in the 1400’s, it was very much tied to the kind of guild system that you associate with craft. Crivelli would have ground his own pigments, perhaps even prepared the wooden panel himself. All of this labor is embedded in the final result. Notice how the architecture looms around the Virgin Mary, constructed with careful detail. This reflects the cultural significance of the built environment, and the way that even humble homes were understood as carefully constructed settings for human life. The punchwork and gilding throughout the painting – which would have been among the most costly materials Crivelli used – evoke a divine aura. Paying attention to the materials and making of this artwork is essential. It reminds us that even the most sacred subjects are born of earthly effort and ingenuity.