The Cestello Annunciation is a tempera on panel painting of 1489 for the Church in the Florentine monastery of Cestello. It is currently placed in Santa Maria Maddalena de’Pazzi. The piece is a representation of the annunciation where the Virgin Mary received a visit from the archangel, Gabriel, when he informed her that she was the chosen one of God to bear Christ. Inscriptions from the Gospel of Luke 1:35, “The Holy Ghost shall come upon thee, and the power of the Highest shall overshadow thee” exist on the original frame of Sandro’s artistic creation. The piece is a tempera and gold on wood to present the approaching visit that brings a message of joy to Mary and the world.
Botticelli’s artistic creation draws the viewers’ mind into a timeless lacuna with the absolute silence that creates momentous consequences. The piece depicts a cool austerity that enhances the mood of solemnity and awe existing in ordered calm. The bit of ordered peace emerges in the precision by Botticelli to intertwine the components of his artistic creation and architectural caprice into a constructive perspective. The color scheme on the entire article creates and maintains a sense of sober serenity with a characteristically plain painting and lack of decorations on the outer vestibule. The depiction of the virgin includes little furnishing to blend and reduces the asceticism in the environment. A white curtain represents Gabriel’s apparel with red cushions that represent the terracotta floors and the cover of the two books balancing atop of the entablature.
Botticelli’s creation depicts Angel Gabriel’s entry into the scene through a gap in the colonnade rather than abrupt emergence into the fray to represent the physical constraints of the worldly realm. The movement and posture in the scene occur in the hitching up the voluminous robe creating the manoeuvres from bowing to assume a kneeling position. In his hands, the angel holds a stem of beautiful lily flowers that match the pearl white color of his wings and garb depicting the purity and virtue of innocence of Mary.
The artistic creation includes a mix of color and brightness to illuminate the flow of the conversation between Angel Gabriel and Virgin Mary. Gabriel’s stretched-out hand and open mouth indicate the delivery of the message of the conception of Jesus. Mary’s perplexed reaction from the engagement is vivid from her stretched hand and slightly turned posture. The fulfilment of the angel’s message in the momentous event occurs through the stream of divine light entering the outer colonnade over the kneeling Gabriel into the inner chamber illuminating on Mary who kneels submissively.
The standout part of Botticelli’s creation is the deliberate omission of any architectural details that camouflage the plain environment of the Cestello church for which the painting represents. This perspective is further enhanced by the room’s color scheme with the contrast between the dark grey of the walls and the bold red floor. Additionally, the distance maintained between the two persons in the creation on the floor and the outstretched arms limits physical contact. The significance of the distance is relative to Mary’s conception of Christ without physical engagement.
Botticelli’s artistic works remain to be one of the most popular creations of the Renaissance era. The annunciation artistic creation holds the qualities that command respect for the artists and skills of precision. Botticelli stands out with the iconographic complexity of his creations that crown his consummate mastery of overwhelmingly poignant effortlessness. Through his mix of color and precision, Botticelli creates imagery and revelation that connects to the message in the gospel narration of Luke that identifies with Christians across the universe