Why it matters
The angel Gabriel and the Virgin Mary stand on pedestals like stone statues, painted in grey against black marble. Van Eyck's grisaille diptych is highly illusionistic, yet gives the figures very human gestures.
Did you know?
- It dates from around 1433–1435.
- The figures resemble those on the outside of his Ghent Altarpiece.
- Its small size suggests it was made for private devotion.
Based on the Wikipedia article Annunciation (van Eyck, Madrid) (CC BY-SA 4.0).
