{"id":104934,"date":"2019-09-04T17:27:46","date_gmt":"2019-09-04T15:27:46","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/blog.artsupp.com\/the-most-beautiful-hand-i-know-of-art\/"},"modified":"2026-11-06T23:13:29","modified_gmt":"2026-11-06T22:13:29","slug":"the-most-beautiful-hand-i-know-of-art","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/blog.artsupp.com\/en\/the-most-beautiful-hand-i-know-of-art\/","title":{"rendered":"The Most Beautiful Hand I Know of Art"},"content":{"rendered":"\r\n
\u201cThe most beautiful hand I know of in art.\u201d It is with these words that the famous critic and art historian Roberto<\/strong> Longhi<\/strong> referred to the Annunciata<\/a><\/em> by Antonello da Messina<\/strong>.<\/div>\r\n
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The work of the painter from Messina, among his most famous, is the crowning jewel of the collections at the Galleria Regionale della Sicilia – Palazzo Abatellis<\/a> in Palermo.<\/p>\r\n\n\n\r\n

This work, besides being breathtakingly beautiful, is famous for its extremely original representation; a true break from the classic iconography of the Annunciation.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n\r\n

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Antonello da Messina, Annunciata, c. 1475<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\n\n\r\n
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The Italian Annunciation<\/em><\/h2>\r\n\n\n\r\n

The day of the Annunciation was set by the church nine months before Christmas, that is, March 25. The Annunciation is the dialogue between Mary and the angel Gabriel, who announces to her that, among all women, she has been chosen to give birth to the Son of God.<\/p>\r\n\n\n\r\n

The iconography of the Annunciation features the two protagonists: Mary and the angel Gabriel.
Usually, the angel is positioned at a respectful distance from Mary and they are often separated by an architectural detail such as a column, a low wall, or a door. This distinction of spaces served as a device for painters to mark the transition from the divine space to the human one.<\/p>\r\n\n\n\r\n

Mary is typically depicted inside a room or sheltered in a loggia, engaged in reading a book, a clear reference to the prayer and contemplation that have prepared her for the coming of God.
In the background, an opening (a window, a door, an arch, etc.) overlooks a flowering garden, symbolizing the lost paradise but above all the virginity of Mary; the so-called hortus conclusus<\/em>.<\/p>\r\n\n\n\r\n

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Beato Angelico, Annunciation<\/em>, 1435<\/figcaption>\r\n<\/figure>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n\n\n\r\n
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In the famous Annunciation<\/em> by Beato Angelico<\/strong>, the surface of the work is divided into three clearly distinct zones by architectural elements: the garden, the arch of the Angel, and the arch of the Virgin. This emphasizes three different temporal spaces.<\/p>\r\n\n\n\r\n

In the upper left, a ray of divine light passes through the dove of the Holy Spirit and illuminates the Virgin, who submissively accepts her task.
In the background, the expulsion of Adam and Eve from Eden symbolizes the damnation of humanity that will be saved by the coming of Christ made possible by Mary’s acceptance.<\/p>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/div>\r\n<\/section>\r\n\n\n\r\n

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The Symbolism of the Annunciation<\/em><\/h2>\r\n\n\n\r\n

Like every painting with a religious subject, the Annunciation adheres to well-defined codes, and the objects represented have a strong symbolic value: the lectern<\/strong> and the book<\/strong> are references to prayer; Mary wears a blue<\/strong> mantle symbolizing spirituality and contemplation. Meanwhile, the red<\/strong> of her robe symbolizes charity and alludes to the passion of Christ; the lily<\/strong> that often appears in Gabriel’s hand symbolizes purity, grace, and the virgin motherhood of Mary.<\/p>\r\n\n\n\r\n