What better way to begin our Advent Calendar than with an Annunciation, the biblical episode in which the Virgin Mary receives the message of the Archangel Gabriel, who tells her that she will bear the Son of God? One can easily imagine her surprise at such extraordinary news!

Around 1435, the renowned sculptor Donatello created this sculpted version of the Annunciation for the Cavalcanti Chapel in the Basilica of Santa Croce in Florence. Carved in pietra serena, a grey sandstone typical of Tuscan architecture, the work takes the form of a tabernacle inspired by the ancient monuments the artist studied during his stay in Rome. Following the principles of classical Roman architecture, the two high-relief figures are framed by pilasters supporting an entablature adorned with decorative friezes. Above them rises a curved pediment, where six small putti, or cherubic figures, are perched.

While these classical references are characteristic of the Italian Renaissance, Donatello also succeeds in infusing the scene with remarkable emotion. Subtle gilded details highlight the ornamental motifs and flowing hair, while the delicate folds of the garments reveal the bodies beneath and create a gentle diagonal that connects the gazes of the two figures. The Virgin appears startled and seems almost to draw back from this unexpected apparition. Yet her face, inspired by the ideals of Classical Greek art of the fifth century BC, bears a shy but welcoming smile directed towards the Archangel Gabriel.

The heavenly messenger, for his part, seems almost apologetic for having frightened the young woman. And, echoing the surprise at the heart of the scene, the putti placed at either end of the composition also appear alarmed, huddling together in pairs. Are they reacting to the miraculous event unfolding below them, or simply feeling dizzy from their lofty perch?