Study for a Decorated Initial A with the Annunciation 1672 - 1742

Editor: Right now, we're looking at "Study for a Decorated Initial A with the Annunciation," created sometime between 1672 and 1742 by Gilles-Marie Oppenord. It’s a drawing and print held at the Met. I am just captivated by how ornamental it is, so full of swirls and symbolism. What leaps out at you when you see it? Curator: Ornament almost bursts off the page, doesn’t it? It's like a waking dream, spun in ink. The Annunciation story tucked into a giant 'A' feels utterly Baroque – divine revelation framed by earthly grandeur. I'm especially drawn to the dynamism—the angel hurtling down, the Virgin Mary almost recoiling, it’s like catching a sacred event in mid-flight. The theatrical flourish contrasts beautifully with the delicacy of the lines. Editor: It does feel like theater. So, what do you make of all the symbols crammed into it? I spotted the tablets of the law right away. Curator: Exactly! Think of the context—Oppenord was a key figure in bringing the Rococo style from France. He blends sacred narrative with classical and old testament allusions. The tablets signify law and covenant and set up a contrast with the new covenant. And consider where this might have lived. Perhaps an illuminated manuscript, a nobleman’s library? Do you find your perspective shifting? Editor: Definitely! I was so focused on the pretty surface I missed the deeper layers. Now I’m seeing how everything works together, a real story, not just decoration. Curator: It's the dialogue between the earthly and the divine isn't it, and it is mirrored by your own exploration. Editor: Beautifully said. Thank you!