The Annuncition Lionardo da Vinci
The first known work by Lionardo da Vinci is the “Annunciation”. He was between the age of 18 and 21 when he painted this work. Even at this early stage, we can already see the characteristic, authentic Lionardo type of work in this painting. He blends the natural and the spiritual which contrast with the architectonic and the human. One can also observe his interest in achieving various tricks of perspective, which is apparent in his geometrical and symmetrical studies.
View various angles
For example, you can perceive the triangular compositions in the arrangement of the spiritual and the physical in the positioning of the Virgin Mary and the symmetrical relief work on the marble sarcophagus which spans the terrace floor. The drapery exhibits both darkness and light, while deep shadows mark the architectonic and dominant earthly presence. The Virgin Mary’s upper torso, from her hips and upwards, gains another presence through light and colouration whilst the gold coloured material is draped over her stomach. She sits on the lighted side of the symmetrically decorated marble table with her right hand over the Holy Document and her left hand lifted, receiving the falling light from the contact with the Holy Angel. This makes her the focal point of the picture and catches the attention of the viewers’ eye.
Initially, there were many discussions about this painting and a similar version was to be found in the Louvre in Paris. Due to the fact that certain experts accepted this painting as an authentic Lionardo many of these ‘so-called experts’ made erroneous analyses and were proven to be wrong. Consequently, the painting in the Uffizi gallery is now considered to be the original Lionardo while the one in the Louvre is the copy! The characteristic qualities: arrangement of the painting, the artistic (including the technical), the paintings composition and the content (philosophical and intellectual) differ greatly and are all in favour of the Uffizi version of the painting.
After a while, the sketches used by Lionardo for the Annunciation were found. The drawing of the angels hand, the wash-drawing and the sketch of the legs and the knees all correspond with those to be found in the painting. If one studies the exact drawing of the legs, it can be seen that Lionardo already then, was interested in illusions because the extra drapery over the back of the chair serves to the mislead eye.
The painting in the Uffizi gallery is undoubtedly an authentic Leonardo work because it fulfils all the Lionardo criterions: the level of illusion, colours, compositions, arrangements of the paintings content, light and shadow settings, and sfumato with which he develops differences between light and dark in away which is unique. Differences between an authentic Lionardo painting and a copy become clearer with time because we know that the varnish Lionardo worked with darkens and the contrasts are of a certain depth.
But we intend to prove that Lionardo was, already at an early stage, interested in the dark and light strains of the painting. If one studies the composition of the Annunciation in Uffizi, the painting is divided into three levels of depth and two separate halves laterally, where the vanishing point divides the natural (nature) and the human (architecture). The background radiates heavenly light with the dark tree silhouette in the foreground. The middle part contains the silhouettes of the trees in the dim landscape where the perspective-opening separates the trees from the others and through the opening, a flood of light shines on the terrace yard where the Annunciation is taking place. You can clearly see how four uniformly large, conical cypresses are arranged so that three wide openings are created. Two of these are covered by irregularly shaped trees which are also symbolic – The Father, The Son and the Holy Spirit are represented here. The fourth dark tree stands close to the wall and the gable where the Virgin Mary is sitting; “The life from God's creation has reappeared as part of the Virgin Mary”.
She is sitting centrally in the fore of the perspective corner which Leonardo has accentuated by the use of wall tiles pointing in from both sides to the Virgin Mary.Behind the Virgin Mary, in the corner, there is an opened door to hastily retreat through and narrate what has happened to her! The Angel is squatting in the rich flora of the plants which represent the carpet; “The natural, Spiritual”. While the Maid is sitting on the “human terrace floor” made of stone.
From the gable of the house is found a constructed marble-wall, in perspective, which separates the awe inspiring nature from the inner terrace yard where the meeting between the divine and the human is occurring. This Angel has just entered through an opening in the marble wall and left the powerful God’s creation to deliver and bring forth the Divine touch to the Virgin Mary. The Angel is positioned so that his profile with the left- hand holding the lily and the right-hand raised in front of the Virgin Mary, cover the opening in the wall. In the light perspective-opening glimpses of a light and bright mountain can be seen in the background, pointing upwards and in front of a darker. These two symbolise the divine and the earthly. Furthermore, at the latter mountain’s foot, you can see a city with its harbour and boats, as if Lionardo wanted to declare it as a heavenly dwelling (the light mountains peak) and above the earthly plane. The marble sarcophagus with its symmetrically decorated sides stands on a living carpet of plants, just in front of the Virgin Mary.
If these plants are studied, it can be seen that they occur, in a more developed form, in other works by Lionardo, for example in the Cave, which is also exists in several different versions. However, the original is found in the Louvre. In this painting, Lionardo uses both the architectonic and the natural in a philosophical and symbolic way and not in an extravagant way so that the figures lose their dominating role in the painting. The contrasts and balance are created to exude brilliance, strength, equilibrium and clarity to the spectator. Furthermore, even in this work “the characteristic tricks of perspective” and sfumato which are so typical for authentic Leonardo work can be observed.
When one studies the wall behind the Virgin Mary in the Annunciation and the lay of the clothes together with the symmetric marble table, from left to right, one can see some illusions which were typical for the geometrical forms in Lionardo’s first works. He spoke of this already as a youth: of being interested in illusions which do not correspond to contraposto which only consisted as a part of the tricks of perspective. Subsequently, he became more and more preoccupied with “human movement”. He speaks of the importance of arranging the painting after certain principles and this caused him big problems before every new painting. The sketches to most of his works which are gathered in different collections clarify his difficulties with human movement, namely the preparations before his difficult task of reaching a “final result before even having started the task.” It can be clearly seen from his drawings that it is just a matter of perspective tricks of figures in different positions.
The author: Rizah Kulenovic
The narrator and the assistant of writing: Bo Nilsson Johnér
Translated by John Rickards