Fra Angelico, Montecarlo Altarpiece (fresco, detail)

Description

The masterpiece of the collection is the Annunciation by Guido di Piero, between Giovanni da Fiesole known as Beato Angelico, coming from the convent of Montecarlo, where it has been attested since 1630, but originally intended for another location of uncertain location. The work, unanimously attributed Angelico for the very high artistic level that places it in full of the early phase (1432-35) is one of the three Annunciations on panel painted by the Dominican friar together with the one for St. Dominic of Fiesole, at the Prado Museum in Madrid and at the one for S. Domenico in Cortona, at the Diocesan Museum of the city. The work, despite the elements reflects the Renaissance novelties of Masaccio and Brunelleschi, like the perfectly central perspective layout with the beautiful loggia with round arches laterally open to the garden of Eden and in the background the austere cubicle of Mary with the window ferrata that accentuates the sense of depth. The work, a true homily figurative, is rich in Christological and Marian symbols: from the Christ in the center, symbol of the tree of the cross and of life, splendor of gold, emblem of the divine light to the palm tree, symbol of the victory over sin and death, but also an allusion to the passion of Christ and martyrdom. Typically Marian are the hortus conclusus bounded by the fence, which symbolizes Mary's Virginity and the variety of flowers including, in addition to the classic lily, placed in second place and not in the hand of the angel or in the center of the composition, the primroses, which allude to the new Spring of life (the Annunciation is celebrated on March 25, nine months before Christmas), the edelweiss, figure of Mary, morning star, the red carnation, symbol of engagement and therefore of the nuptial of Mary, the beloved of the Canticle of the Canticles and the pomegranate, an allusion to the fruitful nuptiality of the Mother of the Lord. Recent reflectographic surveys have revealed the great mastery and confidence of the painter in preparatory drawing, Decisive and without second thoughts. However, it is likely that at a first glance version, more sober and traditional with the open loggia typical of the announcements, followed by an adaptation to new tastes with the decoration of the walls with nuanced effects which, beyond the ornamental purpose, have a profound meaning symbolic, alluding to the mutability and sinfulness of the world, iridescent and multiform with respect to the stillness and symmetry of the sky of the vault, emblem of divine perfection. Element of incredible modernity, the floor cloudy and undefined as if it were watercolour, that the archangel Gabriel, messenger of God, seems just touching, as if not wanting to contaminate his divine nature, is in reality symbol of dispersion and sin, from which man thanks at incarnation he was freed. Everything contributes to underlining how the event of the Annunciation is fulfilled between time and Eternity, earth and sky, finite and infinite.