Annunciation to the Virgin
1547-1550
Michelangelo sketched this dramatic scene of the Annunciation around 1547, likely as a deeply personal gift for his close friend and muse, the poet Vittoria Colonna. Notice how the angel isn't a delicate, floating cherub, but a powerfully muscular figure swooping down to deliver God's message to a startled Mary. The faint, ghostly sketches peeking out on the left side reveal the artist's restless mind, constantly reworking ideas on the same sheet of paper. Even in a simple chalk drawing, Michelangelo's signature intensity and mastery of the human form shine through brilliantly.
- Technique
- Black chalk
- Material
- Paper