Persian carpets, a peacock, and a cucumber, understanding Crivelli's Annunciation

Carlo Crivelli, The Annunciation with Saint Emidius, 1486, egg and oil on canvas, 207 x 146.7 cm (The National Gallery, London).
A conversation with Dr. Steven Zucker and Dr. Beth Harris

[@BelaCurcio]

I like how the messenger's hair is all messy from rushing to deliver the message

[@almeggs3247]

Just can’t get over your amazing talent in bringing us living history!
God bless you both!

[@dumoulin11]

As a painter myself I find the craftsmanship in this is absolutely staggering.

[@magicknight13]

I was certain I had already commented! But I have to comment again to say that this is my favorite painting of all time and I'm so so grateful for this video that I always come back to. Thank you smart history!

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Thank you for the kind note, it is such a wonderful painting.

[@monicacallesarenales5865]

Amazing painting and a wonderful explanation about this artist!

[@williamschlenger1518]

I'm amazed at the detail & workmanship.♥️🤔

[@junesilverman8154]

My favourite artist of all time...
❤️

[@alfredoechevarrieta7512]

Extraordinario. Muchas gracias por esta gran lección de arte

[@vincenzomilella6958]

Great video about less known artists but equally valid ones

[@BubbaSpartans]

I agree to a point, I like hearing about other artists. But the “superstars” are and will always be super for a reason. You could spend a lifetime studying and learning from just one. Especially as a painter.

[@NarekHovhannisyan]

4:53 I would say that carpets are Armenian, rather than Persian. There were strong trade connections between Cilician Armenia and Italy, between Europe, Armenian Highlands and Asia through Armenian trade networks and merchants. And the most important is the stile of the carpets, the symbols, motifs and manners are Armenian and Anatolian.
See also - Volkmar Gantzhorn "The Christian Oriental Carpet"
, oriental carpets in Renaissance painting, Armenian carpet in European painting.

[@juicebythedeuce8056]

What are you saying? That this is oriental then? This is a Renaissance painting after all.

[@NarekHovhannisyan]

@@juicebythedeuce8056 It is about the style of the carpet, as a separate object, as you see those carpets were introduced to Europe from the East, by trade routes and merchants, they were made, probably, in Armenia, Armenian Cilicia or Anatolia, and being so popular in medieval Europe, were used as decorative features in Renaissance paintings. Hope you understand now.

[@athenaartfoundation]

@@NarekHovhannisyan Nicely spotted! These details can tell us so much

[@Gregory10000000000]

I must confess that this was my first guess as well- Armenian carpets ( there are many paintings with Persian carpets ), but this one is Armenian, agree with you.

[@Iris17Paris]

Very beautifull❤

[@athenaartfoundation]

Love these videos!

[@Sasha0927]

Just so many beautiful, brightly-colored details to appreciate. 😍
I can't mess with St Emidio at all - "Hey guys, I know you're busy working out salvation for all of mankind and all that, but would you mind checking out my city real quick?"
I got excited about the symbolism. How on earth did the cucumber come to represent resurrection? lol. Fair enough about the seeds, but you'd think that would be symbolized by wheat (like in Christ's allegories)... It's interesting.

[@gln48cn]

伟大的杰作！

[@sunayaras5360]

Etkileyici.

[@monicad99]

Thank for the wonderful video! Just a quick question: do you know what is the name of the painting hanging next to Crivelli’s Annunciation in the gallery? Thank you so much!

[@smarthistory-art-history]

This one? www.nationalgallery.org.uk/paintings/carlo-crivelli-the-vision-of-the-blessed-gabriele

[@rr7firefly]

Gabriel and Mary are separated by a wall. The angel sees Mary, but is Mary aware of Gabriel kneeling outside? This compartmentalization is somewhat odd. The Annunciation painting by Simone Martini (1333) is more direct and visually satisfying. Mary's reaction to the angel and his/her message is an integral part of Martini's masterpiece. // One other thing: there is a small arched opening in the decorative frieze through which Divine Light enters Mary's room. It's as if Crivelli created this device to "fix" an otherwise odd composition.

[@AF-jp5vi]

Each artist has his own interpretation of the scene, and each of us as art lovers may resonate more with one artist's or another's.
This painting depicts the moment right before Archangel Gabriel steps into Mary's room. She is praying while the Archangel is on his way to her, but he lingered outside for just a brief moment to talk to St. Emidio and bring him the good news about the city's newly acquired autonomy.
So the painting actually depicts 2 scenes, one more important than the other, one divine and the other secular, and the wall is used as an artistic means to keep the scenes somehow separate, spatially and chronologically (yet also connected, because they take place in the same city, at different moments in time).
The 2 scenes are connected by other key details as well: the characters face each other (Archangel Gabriel and St. Emidio face right, while Mary faces left), and the ray of light coming from the Heavens is a diagonal that connects the outside to the inside, and leads our gaze from the left side of the painting to the right, suggesting how we are supposed to "read" the story chronologically.
I personally love both Simone Martini's and Crivelli's Annunciation paintings, they are different but for me they are equally beautiful.

[@athenaartfoundation]

Cool point!

[@stanleygagner]

Almost reminds me of an M.C. Escher

[@camillef4166]

How is Mary reading the Bible?

[@dumoulin11]

Perhaps it's meant to be understood as the Torah, the Jewish scriptures.

[@PutItAway101]

Well, you know how there's an "old" Testament in the Bible? LOL. But the painting's meant to be symbolic. Why is a third century saint there? It's saying that these things are connected by their meaning rather than an actual historical reality. She's reading the Bible to because she's pious, not because the real Mary had a Bible and could read ( one impossible, one unlikely!)

[@deer563]

She is reading the Jewish bible

[@hannesrabenschwarz5502]

I came here via a UFO site. It is a wonderful picture, full of tranquility and peace, almost psychedelic. I'd love to be in that picture for the rest of my days with time standing still. - What strikes me most is that I´ve never been shown this in my whole life. I grew up in a country full of art and art loving people, but it took 47 years and a UFO site on youtube to encounter that masterpiece. This backs the conspiracy theorists that something is deliberately hidden from us. It`s like the drill holes in ancient Egyptian granite blocks. - They never show them on TV.

[@smarthistory-art-history]

Millions of visitors have seen this painting hanging on the wall of the National Gallery in London, a museum that is free and welcoming. Spend time on our channel, there are likely other paintings you will enjoy and that you may not yet know-no need for UFOs or conspiracies.

[@mariotagliaferro3260]

Sarà permesso ai Russi di venire a vederlo ? Se venissero glielo faremo vedere?

[@jdizzle3627]

Beautiful. I’ve never seen this painting of the Annunciation before. The only criticism I have is the use of the words “her divinity” at 5:15. “Divine” has several meanings and aside from the common usage to mean “beautiful” or “exceptional” when complimenting something or someone, it is most commonly thought of as meaning God. While it can also mean “of God” or “from God” and can be used appropriately when properly understood I think it’s use here can easily lead to confusion. Catholics do not often use the word divine unless referring directly to God or to an action of His. It is sometimes used in other circumstances and even as titles on occasion, but this is not it’s most common usage. Catholics do not believe Mary to be a goddess. She was intimately entwined in the Divine throughout her life in many ways, one of which is shown in this painting, her conception of Christ in her virginal womb, but nonetheless she herself is not a goddess so, to say “her divinity” is misleading. With all of the disinformation that is already so abundant out there surrounding the Catholic religion and especially the Blessed Virgin Mary, it’s important to choose words carefully lest disinformation, even unintentionally, continue to be propagated. Otherwise, great video and thank you for showing this beautiful work of art and of history!

[@dougg1075]

What’s up with the Ufo shooting a laser?

[@magicknight13]

Doug G that is holy light shining on the Virgin

[@deer563]

I think it represents god?

[@williamschlenger1518]

I'm a portrait artist and I wouldn't attempt this.