The Annunciation: A Painting by Francisco de Zurbaran Works of art can best
be appreciated when the elements of design, the principles of design, and the
iconography of the work are observed and understood. The Annunciation, a
painting by the Spanish artist Francisco de Zurbaran, is a work of art that
incorporates both the elements and principles of design. The iconography of the
painting is of great importance as well as its aesthetic quality.
The ability to create a picture of The Annunciation in one’s mind is a key
factor in understanding the analysis of the work. Francisco de Zurbaran
approaches the painting with a naturalistic style. The painting features a room
in which a woman – like angel is seen at the left kneeling on the ground before
the Virgin Mary. The figure of Mary is placed between a chair and a small wooden
table draped with a green cloth. Mary disregards an open Bible on the table, as
she appears solemn while staring at the floor.
Floating above the two main figures in the upper left side of the painting
are cherubs resting on a bed of clouds. They happily gaze down at Mary with eyes
from Heaven. The Annunciation uses elements of design to create a visually
pleasing picture. The visual elements consist of light, color, texture, shape,
and line. The use of light is one of the most evident elements in this painting.
The source of light is not directly visible in the painting, but appears as a
radiant angelic host floating above the two main figures. Light emphasizes the
fair skin of the Angel and Mary as they both look down towards a shadowy floor.
Light also reflects the open Bible on the table suggesting emphasis on the
holiness of Mary. The rest of the room remains eerily dark and dull. Color is
used to draw attention to important characters and objects in the painting. The
red of Mary’s shirt emphasizes her place as the main figure.
A bright, yellow cloud floating above the room symbolizes the joy of the
angelic figures. De Zurbaran uses warm colors in the foreground. The room, used
as the background for the scene, is painted in dark colors utilizing different
hues of gray and brown. An observer can also obtain a sense of texture in this
painting. The Angel appears to have feathery wings, smooth skin, and soft hair.
Drapes that hang above Mary have a full and defined feel to them. The green
tablecloth on the small table in front of Mary has an implied silky texture.
The cloud by the cherubs has a soft, pillow – like appearance. The prevalence
of texture supports De Zurbaran’ s use of realism in this painting.
Comprehension of the principles of design used in The Annunciation allows a
greater appreciation for the painting. The five principles of design include
balance, emphasis and focal point, unity and variety, proportion and scale, and
rhythm. Balance and emphasis and focal point are the predominant principles used
by Francisco de Zurbaran.
The painting appears asymmetrically balanced, which means that the two sides
of the picture are not exact likenesses but seem to balance due to similar
visual weight. The Angel on the left and Mary on the right are similar in size.
Both figures face towards the center of the picture but are separated by a
raised step that Mary is kneeling on.
The reddish – pink colored curtain hanging on the right side balances the
cloud on the left side. A green scarf worn by the Angel and the green tablecloth
also provide similar visual weight. An open door in the background at the center
of the room seems to create an invisible line down the center of the painting.
De Zurbaran’ s use of focal point and emphasis is easily identified in this
painting. The main focal point is the two figures, the Virgin Mary and the
Angel. This emphasis is created through the use of light.
