The analyses of the Botticelli's painting "The Annunciation"

The Annunciation" c. 1485-92
(Metropolitan museum of art)
(Picture I)

http://gamesandtehories.blogspot.com/p/the-analyses-of-botticellis-painting.html

Kimmo Huosionmaa

"The Annunciation" is a painting, what Botticelli (Alessandro di Mariano di Vanni Filipepi  (1445-1510)) painted in c. 1485-92 is one of the masterpieces of religious arts, and it's the remarkable thing in the history of arts. The reason, why Alessandro di Mariano Filipepi used the name "Sandro Botticelli" in his arts might be caused that this man painted the religious painting, and that's why he had to cover his identity. Those paintings were the politically sensitive thing, and if the painting didn't please the customer, would that cause the prosecution in the inquisition, and in the worst case death, if the inquisition would translate that the painting was blasphemy or it predicts the death of the ruler of the country or even the pope.


In the painting "The Annunciation" Botticelli portraits Virgin Mary, but there are some details, what people might never see. In the painting, the character of the woman is painted in two times, and that's why this image is remarkable. The detail means that in the painting, the Virgin Mary has two roles the role as an angel and the role as the pious woman. Many times I have thought, why Botticelli painted this painting that way, that there is like two Virgin Mary's in the space, what is separated by the wall.


And this thing should create thoughts in the head of the people. The meaning of that art is to warn, that the powerful men have powerful spouses. In this case, the woman or person, who sits next to the men could be even the secretary of the pope. And that means if something hurts that person, or somebody leave that lady without service, would that told probably direct to the pope, and that could cause things, what nobody wants to face.


The idea of this painting is very simple, the angels are walking on Earth in the form of the human, and they would tell everything to the God. The Angel-figures are meaning messenger, and there are many translations about those figures. Angels could mean the nuns or monks, who told everything to the Pope, if somebody played or did something, what was not allowed. The meaning of the angel figure is to remember that somebody always tells the things, what should not be told.


And that's why this figure means simply the message. But it meant the undercover surveillance, and also protectors, who secretly protected especially the children. Because if the parents would humiliate their children they must remember, that in some day own children are stronger than their parents. And this is the reason, why the angels are often portrayed to stand next to the beds of the children. Somebody always sees the injuries, what the humiliation caused. The angel figure is very common in the medieval art, and it has many roles in the world of religious art, what is made for the official use of the church and their officials.

Picture I:  https://www.metmuseum.org/art/collection/search/459016