The Annunciation

Pinturicchio’s fresco of the Annunciation was commissioned for a chapel in Spello, near Perugia. The fresco, with its myriad of details and subplots, is an example of Pinturicchio’s decorative style, so much admired in the nineteenth century. This scene betrays Pinturicchio’s knowledge of ancient Roman painting, as well as his awareness of the value of still-life. With a touch of ingenuity, he includes on the right wall his own portrait, emblazoned with his name, as a painting within the painting.