Description
Signed and dated in 1333 by Simone Martini and Lippo Memmi, this Annunciation was made for the altar of Saint Ansanus in Siena Cathedral. The Archangel Gabriel has just appeared before Mary, who draws back in surprise, holding the book she had been reading. Raised lettering across the gold ground records the angelic greeting. Saint Ansanus stands to the left; the female saint on the right is generally called Maxima, although her identity remains debated.
Gold leaf, graceful contours and precise domestic details make the altarpiece a landmark of Sienese Gothic art. It is preserved in the Uffizi Gallery in Florence. The composition is built from opposing movements. Gabriel advances with garments still animated by his arrival; Mary draws back, turns her body and shelters herself in her mantle.






