Studies for an Annunciation [recto] 

This drawing by Venetian artist Palma il Giovane is comprised of four preparatory studies for an Annunciation. The artist used brown ink on paper to sketch an angel, Mary, and a faint study of the angel Gabriel. This preparatory drawing helps to better understand the process that artists like Palma il Giovane employed when creating their finished paintings. The Annunciation is one of the most important stories in the Christian faith, and artists have produced numerous works depicting it.