Annunciation 16th-17th century

Editor: So, this is Johann Sadeler I’s “Annunciation.” It looks like an engraving, and I am struck by the contrast between the grounded interior and the divine light flooding in. What are your thoughts on this piece? Curator: I see a loaded image, ripe with the tensions of its time. Think about the role of women, especially in religious contexts. Mary's submission, represented by her downcast gaze, is key. But is it empowerment or subjugation? Editor: That's interesting, I hadn't considered that tension. I was just focusing on the technical aspects of the work. Curator: The technical is never separate from the social. Notice the Hebrew lettering in the divine light. How does that speak to the Reformation and the changing relationship with religious texts? Editor: That's a great point. I’ll have to consider the work’s historical context more closely. Thanks! Curator: Likewise! It is a constant negotiation between what we see and what we know.