Aankondiging aan Zacharias 1617

This engraving of the Annunciation to Zacharias was made by Dietrich Krüger, a German artist, around the turn of the 17th century. It represents a scene from the Gospel of Luke in which the angel Gabriel foretells the birth of John the Baptist to Zacharias. Krüger’s image reflects the religious and cultural milieu of the Holy Roman Empire at the dawn of the Baroque era. We see how this artist uses linear precision to create a rich and detailed image, while the architecture and figures show the influence of Italian Renaissance art. The careful inscriptions and symbolic details speak to the importance of religious doctrine during the Reformation and Counter-Reformation. Art historians consult period texts to understand the importance of the bible and sacred stories to the people of the time. Krüger’s print offers insight into how the institutions of religion shaped the lives and imaginations of people in Northern Europe.