Virgin of the Annunciation 1514

Matthias Grünewald rendered this Virgin of the Annunciation in pen and ink sometime in the early 16th century. The drawing depicts Mary at the moment the Angel Gabriel tells her she will conceive and bear a son, Jesus. It’s important to remember the cultural context in which Grünewald was working. The Reformation was gaining momentum in Germany, and religious imagery was hotly contested. Grünewald, who worked for the court of the Archbishop of Mainz, produced art for a church that was under immense pressure. Look at the figure of the Virgin – she is not idealized but caught in a moment of human reaction. We might consider how Grünewald navigates the treacherous waters of religious reform with this naturalistic style. He provokes an emotional response, but remains firmly within the traditional iconography of the Catholic Church. What did it mean to create religious art in this period of iconoclasm and social change? The study of such historical context helps us understand the complex meanings embedded in this seemingly simple drawing.