Day 3 - Tuesday
The Annunciation by Fra Angelico
Theme and Composition
Fra Angelico’s Annunciation shows the moment when the angel Gabriel comes to tell Mary that she will bear the Son of God. The setting looks like a quiet cloister or courtyard. Fra Angelico was a Dominican friar, so he often imagined holy events taking place in simple, peaceful spaces like his own monastery. Painted for the quiet halls of the Dominican convent at San Marco, it was meant to greet the friars as they climbed the staircase to their cells.
Notice how the scene takes place not in a grand palace, but in a simple cloister—arches, columns, and a small patch of garden beyond. Fra Angelico uses these familiar shapes to remind us that holiness can dwell in everyday spaces. He uses symmetry, repetitive patterns and muted tones to bring a sense of order and peace.
Mary
Look closely at Mary seated on the simple wooden bench beneath the archway. Her hands are crossed upon her breast, and her head is bowed in humility.
Fra Angelico dresses her in a robe of deep blue. Notice how her figure forms a gentle curve, echoing the arch above her. It feels as if she is protected by the mantle of Heaven.
Her face is calm, thoughtful, and full of light. Fra Angelico uses the tilt of her head and the stillness of her body to show her perfect obedience—the quiet “yes” that would change the world.
The Angel Gabriel
On the left, the angel Gabriel kneels, his body bent slightly forward towards Mary in reverence. Their postures mirror one another, forming a balance of giving and receiving. Look at how his hands are crossed over his heart – the most beautiful moment of an angel bowing to a maiden.
Fra Angelico paints Gabriel’s robe in a soft rose color that glows against the pale marble floor. Notice his magnificent wings, painted with rows of rainbow feathers. Gabriel’s gaze is tender and intent; he is not commanding but inviting, as if waiting for Mary’s answer. The space between them is full of light.
Symbolism
Behind the figures, a small enclosed garden stretches beyond the arch. If you look closely you can see it is filled with green plants and dotted with white flowers. This enclosed garden symbolizes Mary’s purity and virtue.
Notice how the black line stretching between the two figures. Some art historians have said it represents the Word of God descending into Mary’s heart.
Every detail in the fresco is quiet but full of meaning: the light, the still air, the gentle curve of their heads toward one another—all speaking of grace freely given and humbly received.
Light and Color
Look at how the scene seems bathed in a soft light. Fra Angelico deliberately uses delicate tones of creamy walls, pale stone and rose to create a feeling of holy calm.
The light enters from the left, falling across the columns and the tops of the angel’s wings before illuminating the seated figure of Mary. Everything feels hushed and filled with reverence.
The low angle of the light suggests it is morning, and the arched cloisters, which are still in shadow, form a perfect frame to Mary and the angel Gabriel.
Final thoughts
When you look at Fra Angelico’s Annunciation, let your eyes rest on the space between Mary and Gabriel. What do you think fills that space? Perhaps silence, or light, or the nearness of God.
Notice how nothing in this picture rushes. The angel waits; Mary listens; time itself seems to pause. Fra Angelico invites us to enter that stillness too—to listen, to wonder, and to say our own quiet “yes” to God’s call.