The Annunciation 1580 - 1590

"The Annunciation" is a 16th-century etching by Italian artist Federico Barocci. The work depicts the moment when the Angel Gabriel appears to the Virgin Mary, announcing that she will bear the Son of God. The scene is set within a domestic interior, with a window overlooking a cityscape and a sleeping cat in the foreground. Barocci's signature style, characterized by soft, flowing lines and a heightened sense of emotion, is evident in the figures' expressive gestures and the dramatic interplay of light and shadow. The etching, housed in the Metropolitan Museum of Art, is a powerful and moving representation of a pivotal moment in Christian faith.